Sweet Escape
by InkandSoul
Summary: The ache in her chest, the frustrating insomnia, the flutters...it was all because she missed him? Because she...liked him?" They agreed to help eachother through the heartache. Be friends. So when did it all change? M for Language, No Nessie Imprint.
1. Photographs and Memories

**Hey :) I randomly got this idea in my head sooo....I just kinda wrote it down. Then I figured I might as well upload it. I'm getting into the Leah and Jacob thing now. This was intended to be a one-shot, but I MIGHT keep writing....It depends what you guys think :) Leave a review and let me know. Hope you enjoy! **

**A/N 19/04/10: The poll for the playlist is now closed :) I've gone through every chapter and added a little section from the song that inspired it, specially for you people who want to listen to the songs while reading (Y) xx**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, and unfortunately, Jacob Black :(**

* * *

"Cause I have photographs and memories of the times,

You were on my mind, and I was alone.

And I have poetry and drawings of my life,

When you weren't on my side, and I didn't know,

Just what is love..."

Jason Reeves – Photographs and Memories

* * *

It had been a month since Bella's transformation. Jacob had been in pieces ever since the birth of Renesmee, and Seth was worried. Even Leah was worried, although she wouldn't admit it to herself. They'd stopped patrolling the perimeter of the Cullen's manor - Leah didn't want anything to do with "the spawn", and Jacob couldn't be near Bella or Edward without it almost killing him. Seth was the only visitor there now. Leah had discovered new emotions in the past few weeks that she hadn't thought herself capable of feeling; sympathy, pity, and empathy. She felt sorry for her Alpha because she knew how much it hurt to love someone and have them abandon you. She remembered Sam all too well.

Leah knew how no one understanding only made everything feel worse. She and Jake hadn't always gotten along well, but she'd moved past the stage of wanting everyone to feel her pain. Now she would give almost anything to take the pain away from Jake. People still treated her like she was a moody bitch. Or like she would phase at a moments notice and rip them to shreds - Leah hated that. All she wanted was to let someone in. But nobody was willing to know the real her.

With a sigh, Leah picked herself up off her bed where she had been sitting cross-legged, deep in thought. She knew Jacob wouldn't want to know. He'd push her away - but it was worth a try. She changed into a white summer dress that came down to her knees, so that she wouldn't phase. It was her only remaining dress, and knowing that it could be left in tatters would stop her from phasing if things got out of hand. Leah dragged a brush through her hair, pulled on some white flats and then left the house. The walk to the Blacks' house would do her good. As she walked she thought about what she would say to Jake when she got there. She had no idea; he just needed to know that she understood. When the house was in sight she wondered if he actually would be home. The guys had all been trying their best to get him out of the house and cheer him up, unsuccessfully. They'd never seen him this miserable. With a sudden rush of anger, Leah hoped that Bella felt guilty for what she was doing to Jake. Then, surprised at herself, she calmed herself down. She didn't wanted to be angry-bitch Leah anymore.

"Hey Billy, is Jacob there?" she asked when Billy answered the door. Leah smiled at Jake's dad, trying to be as friendly as possible. Billy smiled back.  
"Yeah Leah, he's home." His smile faltered a little. "But I don't know if he'll be much company....he's still down. Won't sleep. Doesn't eat much." Leah nodded sadly.

"That's why I came over," she said. "I know what it's like. I thought I might be able to help him or something..." Billy's smile returned.

"I appreciate it, Leah. Come in. He's in his room."  
"Thanks Billy." Leah stepped into the small house, closing the door behind her. Billy told her which door was Jake's room and she started down the corridor, suddenly feeling a little nervous. She pushed the nerves aside and knocked on the right door.

"Go away," came Jake's deep voice from inside. He sounded more miserable than she thought. Leah rolled her eyes and opened the door a crack.

"Jake?" she asked, opening the door wider and stepping in.

"Leah?" He was sitting on his bed, staring out of the window when she walked in, but looked up at her in suprise when he heard her voice. Leah saw his eyes travel down her body and blushed.

"Hey....I...um...how're you feeling?" Jake swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat there, staring at his hands in his lap.

"Not good."

"Oh, Jake." Jacob looked back up at her again, surprised by the sympathy in her voice. Leah sat down beside him on the bed. "I hate seeing you like this," she said. "Honestly. I do hate it."

"What are you doing here, Leah?"

"I came to see how you were....I want to help...."

"There's nothing you can do. There's nothing anyone can do." He sighed. "I'm such a mess."

"I know how it feels. We're more alike than you think, y'know."

"How's that? And why are you being so nice to me?" Leah smiled sadly.

"I've been through this before. Believe me, it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But you do come out the other side better than when you went in.....I'm just taking a little longer than I should."  
"Leah, please don't make this about you." Jake stood up, walking over to the window and rubbing his face with his hands. "I get that the thing with Sam hurt you, but this is different."

"It's not that much different," said Leah, getting up. "But either way, pushing people away won't help. I learnt the hard way. I was a bitch to everyone and now, when I don't want to be horrible anymore - when I try to _help _people - they think I'm just being a bitch as usual." She walked over to the window and put her hand on Jake's elbow. "Jacob.....please. All I want to do is make you feel better. Believe it or not, I actually care about you." Jake lowered his arms and looked down at her.

"I don't think I love her anymore, Lee." Leah tried to keep her expression from looking shocked or surprised. Jacob continued, "Things are different now. I...I feel like she's not my Bells anymore." Leah nodded, biting her lip.

"Admitting it's one of the hardest parts. Sam....he never looked at me the way he looks at Emily. And...he hurt me. When he left. People who love you don't hurt you. Not if they're worth loving in the first place."

"And Bella's hurting me," Jacob stated.

"Yes. Yes, she is."

"Lee...can I ask you something?" Leah nodded.

"Of course."

"Why are you being so nice to me? You could just let me wallow, y'know. You could just leave me to deal with this on my own."

"But I don't want to. I'm not all bad. I can be nice. I can be friendly. Sometimes, I'm my old self again. I don't want people to feel the pain I feel anymore. I want to take pain away, not cause it." She sighed. "You were nothing but good to Bella, Jake. You don't deserve this. I don't want you to end up like me. Someone who when they want to let someone in, is pushed away. Someone who nobody wants to know the real side of." Leah blinked furiously, looking away. Stupid tears, she thought. Why the hell am I crying? I'm meant to be making him feel better, not worse!

His expression softened even more as he looked at the girl before him. Leah was usually so strong, so...able to cope. It was horrible to see her crying, and so lonely. He turned so that he was facing her, wishing he could just make her tears stop. "I don't mind if you let me in," he said gently. Jacob's hand somehow found hers. "I won't push you away, Leah. I promise." Now Leah felt the tears starting to slip down her cheeks.

After waiting for so long for acceptance, she'd found it. Someone wanted to know the real her. They weren't afraid of talking to her in case she tried to kill them. Leah laughed sadly. "Look at me. I come here to cheer you up and I start crying." She wiped at her face. "Sorry Jake."  
"You don't have to apologise. I should be apologising for being such an ass. I'm glad you came over. I needed to know that someone else understands." Leah nodded.

"Anytime." Jacob smiled and wrapped his arms around her when she started crying more.

"We can help eachother," he said. Leah nodded again.

"Yeah. We can help eachother." Leah pulled back a little to look up at him. She gave as happy a smile as she could muster. "Thanks, Jake. For not pushing me away." Jacob smiled back.

"Thanks for making me feel better, Lee." They stood in silence for a while, both grateful for the other. Neither of them were alone - they were together on this.

And together, they'd find some sort of sweet escape.


	2. Someone Somewhere

**Chapter Two is here! :D Okay, before I say anything else, I have to tell you this: There are two wolf packs. BUT: 1) Sam and Jacob don't hate eachother and 2) Both packs can still hear eachother's thoughts. Yeah, I know it's different from the book but I don't really care :L Anywhoo, hope you enjoy this chapter :) It's kinda boring, just a bit of a gap-filler. The good stuff will come, I promise :) I hope to update about once a week from now on. I know that may not seem like very often but I'm a bit busy with my schoolwork :/ Plus I have a load of exams coming up.**

**Felon12 - Thanks for the lovely review! :) It's much appreciated.**

**Enjoy :P **

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does :/.**

* * *

"Someone is waiting,

Someone who understands exactly how you feel,

Exactly how you feel.

Someone is dreaming,

Someone is hoping just that this will be the day,

That this will be the day."

Jason Reeves - Someone Somewhere

* * *

Leah and Jacob stood holding eachother for a long while, just enjoying the feeling of comfort. Eventually they sat down on Jake's bed and started talking. Once they began opening up to eachother, they could talk for hours. "I honestly don't think I love her anymore," said Jake, watching the fingers on his right hand toy with the stitching on his bedsheets. "But...it hurts to admit it to myself. Like I wasted so much time, and I feel like an idiot." He looked up and met Leah's gaze.

"Yeah, Jake. I know. You can still love her as a friend, but maybe things are just too different now?" Jake nodded, a small smile creeping onto his face.

"Maybe...." He took a deep breath. "Maybe it would be better for me to move on. I mean, I really don't feel like finding someone else right now, I just want to hang out with my friends and just...have fun. Like old times."

"If that's what you want, then you can," said Leah, smiling. "It won't be easy at first, but you just have to keep smiling and laughing and telling yourself that no matter what happens, you have your friends. That everything will get better someday. It takes a while, but you'll get there."

"Y'know Lee, I think you're doing a pretty good job." Jake held her gaze and grinned a genuinely friendly grin. "You've started piecing yourself back together. That's amazing, considering what you went through."

"Thanks Jake," Leah mumbled, blushing and looking away. After a few moments of silence she spoke again. "You know, when Sam left, it killed me. I didn't sleep, or eat. Sometimes I'd just sit in my room and cry. And then I realised that I'd opened my heart to him, risked everything....and he hurt me. It made me scared of feeling vulnerable. That's why became Angry Leah. I didn't know what else to do except put on that facade." Leah sniffed, wiping away a tear that was threatening to slip down her face. "And I was angry at Sam, at Emily, at everyone. I was angry for a long, long time." Jake reached out and took one of her hands in his, squeezing gently. The look in his eyes made Leah want to cry more. No one had ever looked at her like that before, with so much empathy. She knew in that moment that she and Jacob were friends now. They'd spent the best part of the last hour opening up to eachother, letting their walls and barriers down. They'd unknowingly created some kind of bond - in weeks, Leah had gone from hating her Alpha, to thinking he was tolerable, to being extremely grateful that he was here with her. "But then, one morning, I woke up and got dressed as usual, then went downstairs..." A smile played on herlips at the memory. "I asked Seth where the cornflakes were, because I couldn't find them in the cupboard. And he said he'd eaten the last of them. And he gave me this really apprehensive look. It wan't until later that I realised he'd been worried I'd get mad at him. For a little thing like that..." Leah shook her head sadly. "That's not the real me, Jake. And I don't want to be Angry-Bitch Leah anymore." Jacob smiled warmly at her.

"Then don't be. We should be able to be ourselves, at least with eachother first." Leah nodded. She gazed out of the window at the beautiful sunny weather. It made her wish she could go for a run, but she loved her dress too much. Besides, she'd never get peace and quiet with the guys around, listening to her thoughts -

"Oh, Jake!" Leah turned to him, biting her lip in sudden worry.

"We won't tell the guys," said Jacob, giving her a reassuring grin.

"Thanks," she said. "Listen, I have to get back. Mum's going out tonight with Charlie and I have to cook for Seth. I really don't want him to set the house on fire." They chuckled, getting to theirfeet. The two werewolves stood there for a moment, just smiling at eachother. Jake finally broke the comfortable silence.

"Thankyou, Leah. For this. For understanding. I know this sounds bad but...although you're the last person I expected this from, I'm glad it was you and not someone else." He embraced her and she laughed.

"Jake, thankyou. For giving me a chance." leah said goodbye to Billy and walked to the front door. "I'll speak to you soon, I promise," she said, opening the door and stepping out onto the porch. Leah stood still for a moment, baskingin the rare sunlight.

"Okay....and....Lee?" Leah turned around, smiling.

"Yeah Jake?"

"That look really suits you," Jake said, gesturing to her dress.

"Oh....I....thanks."

"No problem. So, er....i'll see you soon then?" Leah nodded and then laughed.

"Yeah, but only if you stop being such a hermit!" Jacob grinned.

"Alright Lee, I'll try. See ya."

"See ya Jacob." Leah turned and walked down the porch steps before heading in the direction of her house. She continued smiling to herself as she walked. She didn't think that could have gone better.

xxxxxxxx

"Seth! Hey, SETH! Get down here!" Leah shouted up the stairs to her brother. "Your dinner's ready!" Seth couldn't get down the stairs fast enough. He almost dived into his chair as leah set his plate on the table.

"Wow Leah, it looks amazing!" he exclaimed, gazing in wonder at the mountain of food she had cooked. Leah smiled.

"Thanks Seth." She sat down and then realised that Seth was staring at her. "What?" Leah brought her hand to her cheek. "Have I got something on my face?" Seth shook his head before grinning.

"No, it's just....you didn't make a remark about what I said. Normally you'd have taken the piss."

"Well....I don't want to make remarks like that anymore. They're unkind."

"And....the dress?"

"It makes me feel pretty," she mumbled, blushing. Woah, Seth thought. What the hell has happened to my sister?! God bless the aliens that reprogrammed her brain!

"Well, I like it, Lee. I really do."

xxxxxxxx

"See ya Jacob." Jake smiled after Leah's retreating figure, slightly in awe. He'd never imagined that his Beta could be...well..._nice_. And yet today she'd evealed a completely different side of her to the one she knew. He'd discovered that somebody _did _care. And of all people, that person was Leah Clearwater. They were going to help one another recover from broken hearts - and sometimes, the cure is simply someone to talk to.

"So," began Billy when his son shut the door. "Did Leah help?"

"Yeah, dad. She did," Jake answered, smiling slightly.

"Good." Billy smiled. "By the way, Sam called while you were talking. I told him you'd call him back."

"Okay. Will do, dad." Billy smiled again and wheeled himself into the front room. As Jake picked up the phone he heard the TV being switched on and the sounds of a football game. He dialed Sam's number and waited. Emily picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey Em, it's me."

"Jake! Hey, how've you been?"

"Umm...I've been better, thanks. Could I speak to Sam, Em?"

"Sure kiddo. I'll pass you over. Hope you feel better soon."

"Thanks." He heard the sounds of the phone changing hands and then Sam's voice.

"Jacob?"

"Hi, Sam, dad said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, it's nothing serious. But there's gonna be a bonfire down at La push beach tomorrow night, I was wondering if you felt up for coming?"

"Umm...." Jacob thought about it. He still didn't feel like socialising....but then he remembered what Leah had said about spending time with his friends and really trying to be happy.

"I mean, if you don't feel like it then it's okay, there's always next time -"

"No, no, I'll come!" The words tumbled out of Jake's mouth before he could stop them.  
"Oh. Well...I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye."

"Bye." As Jake hung up the phone, he wondered what the Hell he'd just gotten himself into.

* * *

**For those of you who skipped the A/N at the start, and are now thinking "Wth? There are wayyy too many mistakes in this!", go back and read it. Capeesh? Glad we understand eachother ;)**

**Review people, all reviews are appreciated :) xx**


	3. I Gotta Feeling

**Chapter Three is officially here :) Sorry I took so long to update, the last week or two has been complete chaos. Hope you like this chapter :) R&R, it makes me smile :D x**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. David & Goliath own the hoodie and slogan written on it.**

* * *

As Leah walked towards the bonfire with Seth, she wondered if she had made a mistake in coming. She was only really here because she was going to take every chance she got to show people what she was really like.......and because there was a chance - no matter how small - that Jake might be here. And there was no way Leah was going to miss him having fun for the first time in almost a month. Leah frowned down at her outfit choice.

"Seth?"

"Yeah Lee?"

"Do I...uh...look okay?" Seth raised an eyebrow. Since when had Leah cared what she looked like?

"You look great, sis."

"Okay. Good. Thanks." Leah took a deep breath to calm herself. She really didn't know what had got her so worked up over her appearance. Half an hour beforehand she'd gone through her draws to try and find something that wasn't like the Old Leah, a.k.a I'm-An-Angy-Menopausal-Werewolf-Let-Me-Tear-Your-Head-Off Leah. She'd found an old pair of dark denim shorts and had thrown them on, worried for a second that they might be _too _short when she realised that they finished mid-thigh, and then topped it off with a purple t-shirt and her favourite hoodie. It was black with the words "Come to the dark side....we have cookies" written on the front in white, and a picture of a little monster holding a plate of cookies. As far as Leah was concerned, she thought it the perfect balance between her old self and her new self. Only the New Leah would wear short-ish shorts instead of cut-offs, and the Old Leah....well, the Old Leah loved cookies. And the New Leah could kill for a cookie round about now....Her brother rolled his eyes. Girls: he would never understand them.

"Seth!"

"Leah!" Quil and Embry rushed over to them, grinning widely. "Hey guys!" said Embry, giving a little wave.

"Hey Em," Leah answered, smiling.

"Listen, Seth," Quil went on hurriedly. "We need you to join our frisbee game dude. Paul, Jacob, Jared and Sam are kicking our asses."

"Oh, uh, thanks guys but I'm fine...I'll play later." Quil feigned a look of mortification whilst Embry began to do his best puppy-dog-eyes expression.

"_Later_? Later!? Seth, we're losing NOW." Seth shrugged.

"Sorry man."

"I'll play." The three boys turned to look at Leah in surprise. She looked at each of them in turn. "What?" she asked, confused. "Do you want to win this game or not?" Leah knew she was ace at frisbee...and Jake was here. She wanted to see him smiling and laughing. Embry and Quil looked at eachother before grinning.

"Sure thing, Lee. Come on, we'll show 'em who's boss!" Quil and Embry said a quick "See ya!" to Seth before they started to jog over to where Paul, Jake, Jared and Sam were waiting impatiently with a frisbee. Leah smiled. She was actually doing it. Leah Clearwater was actually beginning to be liked.

XXXXXXX

"What's taking them so long?"

"All they had to do was ask Seth to play!"

"We're gonna beat them anyway," said Sam, putting an end to Paul and Jared's complaints. Jake smiled. Damn, he'd missed the La Push bonfires. And he'd missed his friends even more.

"Damn straight," said Jared. "Looks like Seth isn't playing."

"Hang on...is _Leah _playing instead?" asked Sam.

"Oh, come on man, Leah'll just get pissed off if they don't win. I really don't feel like her shit right now." For a second Jake thought that Paul might just turn and walk away, which he knew for certain wouldn't make her feel any better about herself. So before anyone could say anything else, or go anywhere, he jumped in to defend his Beta.

"Hey, guys, give her a chance. She won't get pissed off. Trust me."

"And how would you know, Jake?"

"I know Leah," Jacob said with certainty as he watched his newfound friend walk over behind Quil and Embry. "Just trust me on this."

"Hi guys," Leah said when she reached them. She smiled at all of them, including Sam - which left Paul wary, Jared confused, Sam slightly scared and Jake grinning.

"Leah's joining our team," said Quil, putting his arm around her proudly. For a second the other guys noticeably tensed, apart from Jake. The Leah they knew would make some smart-ass comment about Quil "keeping his paedo hands off her" and generally be a pain in the ass. But Jacob knew better. So when Leah gave him and his team members a look that said "Get ready to get your asses whooped" all he could do was chuckle quietly.

XXXXXXXX

And they did get their asses whooped. "Lee, go long!" yelled Embry, throwing the frisbee toward her. Leah carefully jogged backwards, and the frisbee was just within her grasp when Paul made a dive for it, and they crashed into eachother. The two of them lost their balance and fell over in a heap.

"Damn, Paul!" Leah said, laughing too much to get up. It had been so long since she'd felt that familiar ache in her stomach from laughing too hard, and she had to admit. It felt good. Jake smiled broadly. Watching her have fun was making his day.

"Is she okay?"

"Jake, man, I think your Beta might be ill or something...."

"Nah. She's fine. It's just been so long since she's had fun like this."

"I think it's creepy."

"I think it's good. I like Leah when she's smiling." Leah looked up, hearing her name, and smiled at her Alpha. Jake grinned back, and when he saw her eyes were actually sparkling something in him felt proud of her.

"Okay, maybe we should just call this a draw?" Leah suggested when she finally got to her feet, brushing the sand off her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw everyone exchange surprised glances - with the exception of Jacob, she was pleased to notice, who was standing there giving them all a knowing smile. Yeah, so, maybe the Old Leah loved to win, she thought to herself. But I'm not a bitch anymore, even though winning would have been cool. Besides, frisbee can be kinda boring after an hour. She looked at them expectantly. "We don't have to," she added. "But I'm just saying. Unless you plan on playing frisbee all night?" She raised an eyebrow.  
"Uh..sure. Cool."

"Awesome. At least we didn't lose."

"That would have been embarassing."

"HA. That'll teach you to be cocky bas -" The rest of Quil's sentence was cut off as Jared rugby tackled him, and one of the packs' famous wrestling matches ensued. Leah shook her head, supressing laughter.

"Having fun?" came Jake's voice from behind her. She turned around to face him, taking off her hoodie and throwing it over a nearby piece of driftwood.

"Yeah, actually. I haven't felt this good in ages." Leah smiled, feeling happy. Feeling like she belonged.

"Well then, in that case you won't mind if I do this." Before she could do anything Leah suddenly found herself thrown over Jacob's shoulder.

"Jake, what the hell!?" she cried. Then she realised where Jake was heading. "JAKE!! NO!!! PUT ME DOWN!!" Leah couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped her throat. "JACOB BLACK!!!" she screamed one last time before she landed arse-first in the water.

She came up spluttering, her hair clinging to her face. Sam and Embry watched in shock as she struggled to shore and tried to push Jake in. It would have worked, if he hadn't grabbed her wrist at the last minute and pulled her underwater with him. "I don't get it," Embry said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why isn't she yelling? Shouldn't Leah be kicking his ass by now?" Sam cocked his head slightly to one side.

"I don't get it either," he said. "If I'm honest, she's acting like...well, her old self really. What she used to be liked before everything happened with Emily." Embry didn't miss the slight guilty tone to his Alpha's voice.

"Listen, Sam, you need to stop beating yourself up about it. Really, you do. Maybe Leah's changing. Maybe she's moving on."

"I hope so, Em. I really hope so."

"Jake, you're dead, I swear!" Leah said when she resurfaced. Jacob wasn't fooled, he could see the playful sparkle in her eyes.

"Ah well. I had a good run. I'm just glad I got to see you laugh. It's been forever since I've seen that."

"And I'm just glad I got to see you smile. You're really doing it Jake. Soon people will get the message that Bella is history." Jake laughed.

"You really scared the guys when you smiled at Sam, y'know. They think you're ill or something." Leah smirked mischeivisouly.

"But all the same, they've noticed the difference. Maybe soon they'll actually like me."

"They like you, Lee. They're just wary of....your temper." Leah rolled her eyes.

"I don't have a temper anymore, remember?" She splashed water at Jacob.

"Right. I'm really proud of you, Leah. Y'know, we might actually be able to pull this whole "fixing the after effects of our broken hearts" thing off." Leah flung her arms round Jacob's neck and laughed.

"Trust me, we will. And by the time people start believing we're not depressed and bitchy anymore, everything will have changed for the better." Jake wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled.

"Knowing what you're capable of, Lee, I wouldn't doubt that for a second."

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**Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know :D Review xx**


	4. Tik Tok

**Chapter Four has arrivveeddd ;) This took me a while, but for some reason I'm addicted to writing this fanfic now :L **

**Thankyou for the lovely reviews, they really made my day :) So thanks to YoGurlB, LaPush Princess13, weeping eyes of babylon and La Mariposa3795 :) x**

**Hope you all enjoy this chappy x Don't forget to R&R :)**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.....damn it :[**

* * *

"Don't stop, make it pop,

DJ blow my speakers up,

Tonight, I'mma fight,

Til we see the sunslight,

Tick tock, on the clock,

But the party don't stop no."

Kesha - Tik Tok

* * *

"Don't stop, make it pop DJ blow my speakers up tooonight.........." It was a few days after the bonfire, and Leah was dancing around her kitchen fixing herself some toast. She had the volume on her Mp3 turned up so loud that if Seth stood in the doorway he would be able to hear the buzz of music even without his sensitive wolf hearing. Speaking of Seth, he was over at the Cullens' house like he usually was. Sam's pack wasn't exactly happy about it, but Seth believed the Cullens were good people, and that was all that mattered to him. Besides, Leah herself had experienced first-hand Esme's amazing cooking skills. So that was why, on a sunny wednesday morning, Leah was singing along to her music while dancing between the fridge, the toaster and the cupboards in black and white cow-pattern pajamas. Sue was out at Charlie's, and she had the house to herself. Sue had left a feather duster on the kitchen table to remind Leah that she needed to dust the ornaments at some point that day, but Leah couldn't be bothered at the minute. "I'mma fight til we see the sunlight, tick tock on the clock but the party don't stop no..." The toast popped out of the toaster with a Ding! and Leah scooted over to put it on her plate.

XXXXXXX

The first thing Jake heard as he approached the Clearwaters' house was Leah singing along to "I Gotta Feeling" and the clatter of cutlery going into the sink. His curiousity got the better of him and he peeked through a window before climbing the porch steps. The window happened to give him a clear view into the kitchen, and when he saw Leah in her pajamas acting hyperactive he almost burst out laughing. Leah being hyper was _so _not something any of the werewolves got to see very often. He let himself in the front door and found himself in the living room. The door that led through into the kitchen was ajar, so he pushed it slowly open. Leah chose that moment to turn around with her breakfast in her hand and almost dropped it when she saw Jacob standing in the doorway.

"Shit, Jake!" she said, one hand clutching her chest. "You almost killed me there!" Jake laughed.

"Sorry, but I couldn't miss your dance routine." Instead of blushing Leah surprised herself by just sticking her tongue out.

"You're just jealous because I have cow pajamas and you don't."

"Yeah. Totally. My life is incomplete without cow pajamas." She raised her eyebrows.

"Jacob, was that _sarcasm _I heard there?" Jake laughed and Leah shook her head, putting her plate on the kitchen counter. "Someone really is on the road to recovery." She picked up one half of her toast and took a bite. "So, what brings you to my humble abode?" Jacob shrugged, making a grab for the other half of the toast.

"I was just wondering what you were doing today. I got nothing on my schedule."

"I was planning on a lazy day," Leah mumbled with her mouth full. "Seth's out at the Cullens' so I have free reign of the TV. Reruns of 'Friends' are on all morning."

"Sounds good," Jake said. "Mind if I join you?" Leah shook her head.

"Nope, as long as you stop nicking my breakfast." Jacob grinned.

"I'm not making any promises." With a roll of her eyes, Leah turned back to the toaster.

"And I thought _Seth _had an appetite."

XXXXXXX

"I don't get it."

"Don't get what?"

"Why's he dressed like that at Christmas?"

"Jake, he's the Holiday Armadillo. The costume's just like...a disguise kinda thing."

"Oh...right." They were sitting at one end of the two-seat sofa, like they'd been doing for the last hour. It was almost midday, and Leah expected that Seth would stay at the Cullens' for lunch as well as breakfast. Nevermind. She had absolutely no intention of moving from her comfy position on the sofa, laughing at Joey and Chandler and the rest of the 'Friends' gang. Okay, so maybe she'd have to move in a little while to fix herself and Jake some lunch, but that was all the moving she was gonna do. At least, that was what she planned for until the phone rang. Leah sighed as Jake chuckled. The cordless phone was in its stand on a small table behind the sofa, so Leah stretched her arm over the back of the sofa, grabbed the phone and put it to her ear while motioning to Jake to turn the volume of the TV down.

"Hello?"

"Leah?"

"Sam?" Jacob turned and looked at her. The look of surprise on her face mirrored the one on his own as they exchanged glances. "What's up?"

"Is Seth there?"

"No...he's at the Cullens' again, and before you ask, no, he doesn't have his phone with him."

"Ah. Um..in that case. Could you do me a favour?" Jacob raised an eyebrow when he heard that. Sam was asking Leah for a favour? Considering that they didn't know of her Let's-Show-The-World-The-Real-Leah-Clearwater plan, he must be feeling pretty brave. Either brave, or stupid, as Paul would have said.

"Uh..sure. What is it?" Leah smiled at her Alpha, and he smiled back. She was doing bloody great with this whole thing.

"We need to organise a meeting with the bloo - I mean, the Cullens. It's about a group of vamps that Seth said the small Cullen saw coming this way."

"Oh. And you want me to go over there and ask them to meet up with you?" Leah asked, a little distracted by the mischeivous grin forming on Jake's face.

"Well..yeah. I mean, if it's a problem or anything, I can get Embry to go, but they know you better."

"No, there's no problem. Of course I'll go - " Leah's sentence was cut off by her own shriek. Jacob had used the split second that Leah looked away to his advantage, and grabbed Sue's feather duster off the coffee table and attacked his Beta with it.

"Leah!? Are you okay!?" came Sam's concerned voice from the other end of the line, while Leah had retreated to the other end of the sofa in a failed attempt to get away.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just - JAKE! GET OFF!!!"

"What the hell?"

"Sorry, Sam, Jake's just being an ass." She screamed again as the feather duster reached her neck. "NO, NOT THERE!! JACOB!!! GET OFF ME!!!" She put out one hand to keep the feather duster at bay and pressed the phone closer to her ear with the other. "O..okay Sam, w..we'll g..go ask the C..Cullens," she managed to get out inbetween bouts of breathless laughter. "Damn it, Jake, I'M ON THE BLOODY PHONE!!!"

With that she pressed the "End Call" button and put the phone on the coffee table as Jacob finally scooted over to let her sit back up. Leah snatched the feather duster from his hands and hit him around the head with it. "What the hell was that for?" she asked, rolling her eyes but unable to hide a grin.

"Payback," Jake replied, sticking out his tongue. "For making me go to the Cullens'."

"I'm not making you go. If you don't wanna come then you can stay here." Jake shrugged.

"I have to face the music sometime, I guess. Besides, Ed-weird will be able to read my thoughts and know that I don't like Bella in that way anymore." Leah smiled.

"See? It won't be so hard. You'll get used to her....vampireness eventually, just give it time." Jacob nodded, and looked at the clock.

"What time are we leaving then?"

"Just as soon as I get changed," Leah replied, jumping off the sofa and heading for the doorway. "Be right back, one minute." For any other girl apart from Leah Clearwater, that would have translated into: 'Be right back, one hour...maybe two..." Jake remembered all too well the days when his sisters had hogged the bathroom for hours. Leah seemed to have the gift of managing to look really nice, really quickly. Shaking his head, Jacob turned his attention back to the TV, smiling. Damn, he was glad Leah didn't want to kill him anymore.

XXXXXX

"Damn it, Jake, I'M ON THE BLOODY PHONE!!!" Sam held the phone away from his ear as Leah yelled at her Alpha on the other end. There was another fit of laughter from her and the phone went dead. Still holding the phone in his hand, Sam turned to face Emily. She was standing at the kitchen sink, with a plate in one hand and a drying cloth in the other, staring at the phone.

"Did I imagine that, or was Leah really laughing?" she asked quietly, stunned. Sam nodded as he set the phone back in its cradle on the wall.

"Yeah. She was laughing."

"It really must be the end of the world."

"She's been acting really weird the last few days. Like, _really _strange," he continued, more to himself than Emily. "At the bonfire, she offered to play frisbee with us, and suggested we call the game a _draw_. And, Paul ran into her and they fell over, but she just laughed....and when Jacob threw her into the sea she got up and pushed him in...." He shook his head. "Seth thinks her mind's been reprogrammed by aliens. Something's definately happened. She's acting like...well...like the Leah she used to be." Emily nodded.

"Well, whatever it is that's happening to her, I don't care, as long as it's making her happy. She deserves it, after everything she's been through."

"Jake's been acting different too. Happier. More himself. The really scary thing is that him and Leah are getting along. And we both know that was Jake at her house just now." Emily shrugged, hiding the small smile that had formed on her lips.

"Isn't it a good thing that they're getting along? Maybe they're looking past whatever it was that made them fight all the time."

"Still...I think something's up."

XXXXXXX

Everyone in La Push and Forks knew that the Cullen family were rich. _Very _rich. So if you were a first-time visitor to the Cullen household, the huge manor house nestled in a clearing in a nearby forest wouldn't be too surprising. It was beautiful, in a modern way. Jacob, Leah and Seth had spent weeks at that house, taking turns patrolling the perimeter to stop any of Sam's pack from attacking Renesmee. Even though it was only days after Jake left Sam's pack and began his own that his former Alpha came to his senses, and dropped the decision to kill Bella and Edward's vampire-human hybrid child, Jake's new pack had stayed for a while. And then Alice had a vision of the Volturi coming, and they had to stay even longer. The usual sickly-sweet vampire's scent didn't hit Leah quite as hard as it had done at first. She was growing accustomed to it, and she found herself wondering if Seth even noticed the smell anymore. She was so distracted that it wasn't until she walked straight into Jake that she realised he'd stopped walking. "Jake? What's wrong." Jacob was looking worried, glancing up at the windows of the manor.

"I don't know if I can do this. Now she's a vampire, it feels like she's not Bella anymore." Leah stepped in front of him to catch his gaze.

"Jacob, listen to me. As much as I dislike Bella for what she's done to you - messed you around and then turned you into the sad hermit - she's still the same on the inside. Unfortunately. You'll be fine. You - or rather, we, can do this. Right?" She took his hand, and smiled at him. After a few seconds Jake nodded.

"Yeah. Right. Okay. Let's do this."

The front door was opened before they had even reached the porch steps. Edward stepped out, some of the sunlight catching him even where he stood under the porch roof and making him sparkle. "Jacob, Leah," he said, nodding his head curtly to the two werewolves.

"Hey, Edward," said Leah, maintaining her smile. Edward's expression didn't change, but Jake new that some part of him had to be surprised. Leah was _never _nice to the Cullens.

"I'm afraid you're right about that, Jacob," said Edward, smiling slightly. "What can we do for you."

"We need to speak to Carlisle, if that's okay? It's kind of important." She ran through the entire conversation with Sam in her head, and soon Edward nodded.

"Sure. Come in. Seth's upstairs with Emmett, on the XBox." Jake and Leah walked the last few feet up the porch steps and through the front door, Leah leading Jake by his hand. He followed, feeling increasingly apprehensive. Alice immediately flew into the room, dancing around as usual like a mini tornado.

"Leah, Jake!" she cried, and twirled over to hug them with a broad smile.

"Hey, Alice," Leah said as Alice flung her arms around her neck. "Nice to see you too." She and her Alpha missed the surprised and confused look that Alice and Edward exchanged with her brother over Leah's shoulder.

Carlisle and Esme drifted over, Esme smiling warmly. "Hey Carlisle, Esme," said Leah.

"Hello Leah, dear," Esme replied while Carlisle smiled.

"Carlisle, Sam sent us to ask you if it was possible to arrange a meeting with your family and his pack?"

"I'm sure we can sort something out. In the clearing where we last met, I presume?"

"Yeah, that would be good." Carlisle crossed the room in seconds to a pen and notepad sitting by the phone on a small table, scribbled something down, and then whizzed back.

"Here," he said, holding out a neatly folded piece of paper to Leah. "Take my number, and tell him to call me when he decides on a day."

"Thanks, I will."

"Lee! Jake! What are you doing here?" Seth and Emmett came down the stairs. Emmett instantly grinned at Leah and punched her playfully on the arm.

"Hey, the she-wolf is back! This is gonna rock."

"I'm gonna get you for the spider in my shoe, Em. Seriously. I will."

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet." Everyone chuckled, and Jake began to feel more relaxed. Maybe coming here wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"Hey, Jake." Jake's smiled disappeared the moment Bella came into view. Her porcelain skin was flawless, and her eyes were a beautiful golden colour, like honey. But she was too graceful, too perfect. The Bella Swan who'd been his best friend had changed, and he missed her.

"Hey Bells......" _Oh dear. Oh crap. Oh bollocks. Trust Bella to walk into the room as soon as Jake started to feel better_, Leah thought. She gave Jake's hand a reassuring squeeze. A split second later Bella's eyes flickered to their joined hands, and then met Leah's gaze. _Quit staring at me, Bella. I don't want to be a bitch anymore, but I still don't like you. Oops. Husband in the room....sorry Edward. Okay. Let's think about something else. Um...happy thoughts. Well....at least these jeans don't make me look fat. Crap, there's a bloody hole in the knee! Argh, I need to go shopping asap, my wardrobe is shameful......_She looked up when she heard Edward laugh, and something clicked in her mind.

"Alice..."  
_EDWARD. Don't you dare!_

"Leah needs to go shopping." Leah groaned when Alice immediately squealed excitedly and started jumping up and down.

"Oh, Leah, this is gonna be so cool....I haven't been shopping in forever! Ohmigod, we can take the porsche!"

_Oh, shit._

* * *

**Hehe :P Alice is awesome, isn't she? Let me know what you thought of it, I read every review I get and they're always appreciated :) xx**


	5. It Stops Today

**'Ellooo :) This chapter seemed to take me forever, but I got there in the end. I'm not sure what you'll think of it, so please let me know (Y)**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter (I'm determined to thank you guys! :] ).  
**

**~ hgmsnoopy - thanks :] Yeah, I love a confused Sam :L And Alice is just awesome ;].**

**~ brezzybrez - lol, here's your update :] Hope you like it!**

**~ LaPush Princess13 - LOL! Yeah, Jake needs a sexy outfit :L Lmaoo...yeah, I laughed too :L Although I laugh at practically anything so I don't think I count :P.**

**~ La Mariposa3795 - I love it too :] 3 There's something about Leah and Jake acting like actual friends that just rocks my cuteness scale (Y).**

**~ All those people that put me on story alert or their favourites list - REVIEW, people! :] Reviews = Faster Updates, Love and cookies ;].**

**Chapter Fiveeeee ;] Enjoy!**

**Em xxx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight....if I did, there'd be a Blackwater ending!**

* * *

"No, no, I don't wanna break when I speak,

I don't wanna shake while I'm standing,

I don't wanna crawl into another hole,

I don't know what I'm hiding for."

Colbie Caillat - It Stops Today.

* * *

Leah tried to talk her way out of it, she really did. But once you get Alice started, well...not even Jasper could get her to stop. "Listen, Alice, seriously...I can do my own shopping," she protested, but she was already in the car, halfway to the nearest mall. Esme sat in the backseat, while Rosalie sat next to her. God knows why Rosalie had come along - she probably just wanted to see Leah suffer. Bella sat on Rosalie's other side, to Leah's disappointment. Alice rolled her eyes.

"Leah, please, shut up. You've got good taste, but I _love _shopping and you _need _some new clothes to go with your new take on life." Leah turned to face her in shock.

"How do you know about that!?" Edward couldn't have read it in her mind, she hadn't been thinking about it at the Cullens' house.

"It's kinda obvious that you want to make changes. You were nice to Edward - and didn't call him Ed-weird. You've actually been civil to Bella and Rose. And you haven't called any of us a bloodsucker or a leech once today." Leah sighed. They continued driving in silence for a few minutes. Leah watched the cars pass them on their way to Port Angeles, wondering if she should tell the vampires with her in the car of her plan to change. Then again, Alice seemed to have already cottoned on, so it couldn't hurt to give them a bit more information.

"I didn't like how I was mean to everyone, because, if I'm honest, that's not who I am. When Sam left me I didn't know who to trust, and I became scared of being vulnerable. So I put up this huge facade to make people think I was tougher than I am, to stop be from being scared. And I guess I held onto it for too long, because now people hate me. So I'm trying to be the person I used to be, before all of this happened. That's the reason why I honestly can't accept anything you try and buy for me - because I was so horrible to you before, when actually you're pretty decent. And you're only gonna hear that from me once." When she looked up Alice was grinning at her.

"Oh, I fully intend to buy you stuff today. You'll just have to consider it your birthday present." Leah smiled, and felt Esme's cool hand on her shoulder.

"We don't hate you, dear. But I think some type of change would do you some good."

XXXXXXXXX

It was several hours later, mid-afternoon, and they were still in the mall. Leah was shuffling along behind Alice, laden with shopping bags. She _really _didn't want to know how much money they'd spent. _Just let Alice do her thing_, she thought. _Just shut up and get on with it_. Of course, there was no way she could escape the changing rooms. Several times Leah was tempted to just go in and never come out, but the things Alice picked were so nice that she had to look in the mirror. She'd just found the nearest chair while Alice went off shoe-hunting when Bella came over and sat down next to her. Leah watched her warily, and her gaze met Leah's steadily. "Leah," she said. "I need to speak to you."

"Uh..sure. Go ahead." Bella looked away and sighed.

"I know you dislike me, and you have a good reason to. I was selfish, in using Jacob the way I did. Don't think I don't regret it, because I lost one of the best friends I've ever had. So I can understand if you'll want to shout at me for this, and I won't stop you. I need to know - you're brave, in healing yourself the way you are, but it's not _just_ you, is it?" Leah continued to watch her for a moment before answering.

"No. I'm helping Jake heal. And he's helping me." Bella nodded.

"Thank you. For helping him. He needs someone, and I think you're the best person for that job."

"Um...thanks." _Wow. Um....talk about awkward silence_. "He's freaked out. About you being a vampire. He misses you. He doesn't love you in that way anymore, but he loves you as a friend, and he misses the Bella you were before you changed. It'll take a little while, but eventually he'll realise that you're still the same on the inside. You just like blood a hell of a lot more. I'm helping him smile again, which is the main priority. Just...just promise me you won't hurt him again, Bella. Jake's a very dear friend of mine now, and I can't stand to see him broken." This time Bella smiled.

"I promise, Leah."

XXXXXXXXXX

The drive home couldn't have been more different from the drive there. The atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful, and when Leah looked in the rearview mirror she could actually see Rosalie smiling. Although that might have something to do with the fact that she was on her Blackberry to Emmett, explaining the little "present" she'd bought Jake. Leah could hear Emmett laughing on the other end. Rose pressed a button and put Emmett on speakerphone, and his laughter immediately filled the car. "So, what do you think?" Rosalie asked him.

"I think he's gonna love it," said Emmett. "You know, maybe I could get him something off Ebay...." He began reeling off a list of possible items before Edward interrupted him just as the list was getting good.

"Don't you think Jacob would be offended by that, Em?" Emmett sighed heavily.

"God, Edward, you're such a Victorian."

"Well, technically, I kind of am one."

"But, _technically_, most Victorians got more action than you do."

"There's no need to be impertinent - "

"Oh, Eddie, as my trusty She-Wolf would say, go rape someone else's mind." Leah grinned and nodded proudly.

"Nicely done, Emmett," she said, loud enough for him to hear.

"I learnt from the best." she chuckled as Edward's protests sounded in the background.

"Emmett, I am _not _a mind-raper - "

With a roll of her eyes Rosalie hung up on her husband and brother. "I'm afraid you might have been a bad influence on Emmett, Leah," she said with a smile. Leah smiled back at Rosalie over her shoulder.

"That's me," she said, winking. "Still, it wouldn't hurt Edward to loosen up a little. Don't you think, Bella?" Bella folded her arms.

"I'm not saying anything," she said, but she couldn't hide her smile.

When they finally pulled onto the road that led through the forest to the Cullens' house Alice told Leah to leave everything in the car. "You can borrow it to drive everything home, and bring it back when you're sorted out," she said as the car came to a stop outside the manor house and she undid her seatbelt.

"Oh. Thanks," Leah said, climbing out of the car herself. She reached in and pulled Jake's "present" out of the glove compartment and then shut the door. They found Edward, Emmett and Jacob watching some kind of football game on TV, while on the other side of the living room Jasper and Seth were playing a match of ping pong at a ping pong table that seemed to have appeared in their absence.

"The She-Wolf survived the trip!" Emmett said when Leah's scent caught his attention and he turned round in his seat to face her. "Knew you'd do it."

"Yeah, I survived," said Leah and she settled down between Emmett and Jacob.

"Hey, you're back," Jacob said, smiling.

"Yupp. And Rose got you a little something," Leah replied, unable to prevent a michievous grin from forming on her lips. Jake took the small white box with from her. It was neatly tied with a fancy blue bow, and rattled slightly when he shook it.

"Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?" Leah laughed.

"Just open it, Jake." He pulled off the ribbon and bow, took off the lid and immediately started laughing at the contents. Emmett burst into laughter too, causing Seth and Jasper to look up from their ping pong game.

"Oh, Rose, you didn't tell me it was _pink_!" Emmett managed to get out. Jacob picked up the matching collar and leash set, his body shaking with his laughter. The tag read, "Fluffy", and the set was a bright girly pink.

"You're lucky you couldn't read Emmett's mind. He was planning on getting you a dog dish that said "Fido"," said Edward, rolling his eyes.

"At least I have a sense of humour, and you just ruined Jake's christmas present!" Jake grinned.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear, if you want." Seth made his way over, shaking his head.

"Listen, Lee, we have to get back. Mom'll want us home for dinner." With a slight sigh, Leah nodded. It was weird, but she really didn't want to leave.

"Okay. I guess you're right. Let's go." As she stood up she turned to Jake. "Want a ride? Alice is lending me the porsche."

"Sure," Jake said, putting the lid back on the box and getting to his feet.

"Don't be a stranger, dear," said Esme, giving Leah a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"I won't Esme. Thanks." Alice danced over and flung her arms around Leah.

"Thanks for the shopping today, I had so much fun!" she said in her tinkly voice, smiling warmly.

"I did too, Alice. Thanks so much for everything."

"See ya, She-Wolf! The game is on!" Leah snorted.

"See if I don't get you back Em. You just wait..."

"He's gonna be such a pain in the ass now," said Rosalie, rolling her eyes. She hugged Leah, to the shock of Seth.

"I'm sorry I was so mean to you before, Rose," Leah murmured so that only Rosalie could hear. "But I'm changing now. I'm gonna be a better person for all of this." Rosalie smiled, and just before Leah turned to leave she caught a whispered: "Good luck."

XXXXXXXXX

Leah spent the best part of half an hour unloading all her shopping from the car and dumping it in her room. Jake leaned against the porch railing watching her, telling her about all the plans Emmett had to piss her off. "He said something about frogs...you hate frogs, right? Or was that lizards?"

"Jake, for the record, frogs are creepy. Lizards are cool. Okay? You gonna give me a hand?" Jacob shrugged, smiling.

"Maybe." Leah snorted and rolled her eyes. When she was finally done unpacking the car Seth drove it back to the Cullens' for her.

"Y'know, mom says you can stay for dinner if you want," said Leah, standing on the porch with her Alpha just as the first few raindrops began to fall.

"I would, but I gotta get back to Billy. He said he wants to talk to me, and he's using fish fry to bribe me." Leah smiled sadly.

"Harry Clearwater's fish fry, huh?" She looked away and out into the surrounding trees. "This sounds crazy but...sometimes it's like I can feel he's still here. It should make me feel better, but it only makes me miss him more."

"Hey," Jacob said softly, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. Leah looked back at him. He was looking at her with such a degree of understanding in his eyes that Leah thought she might cry. "He would have been proud of you." Now she had to look down, to hide the tears threatening to spill over. She'd had such an amazing day, why spoil it now by crying? But before she could blink the tears away she felt a pair of warm arms around her. She couldn't stop the tears this time. They rolled down her cheeks slowly, and she was sure that if it weren't for Jacob holding her she'd feel like she was part of the droplets falling freely from the night sky.

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her eyes. "I'm just not used to people being so nice to me." Jake gave a small smile. "I should be making you happy, too, not crying. It's stupid."

"You can't help it if you cry, Lee. Besides, it's not good to bottle things up. And as for making me happy...you do. You make me laugh, and smile. So don't get yourself down over it, okay?" Leah nodded against his chest, sniffling.

"And to think," she mumbled. "A month ago I wanted to kick your ass. A week ago I could tolerate you. And now you're hugging me. Something's seriously messed up with the world." Jake chuckled.

"Too right," he said. They stood there for a few minutes as the rain picked up speed. _Everything's changed, _Leah thought. _Really changed_. _Exhibit A: I __**willingly **__spoke to my Alpha about all my problems. Exhibit B: I allowed him to steal my toast. Exhibit C: I went __**shopping **__with __**vampires**__. I don't care what Seth says. That is __**not normal**__. And finally, Exhibit D: This. _

_But_, Leah reminded herself, _whatever changes, it's going to be a change for the better. _A few seconds later, Jacob sighed deeply. "I gotta run," he said. "Dad'll be waiting for me." He pulled away from her enough to study her face. "Are you gonna be okay, Lee?" Leah nodded.

"I think so. Thanks, Jake."

"Anytime." He planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'll call you, promise. Bye Lee." He smiled.

"Bye, Jake," Leah replied, with a genuine smile. _Why is it that Jacob can always make me smile? It's just weird! _Jacob turned and stepped off the porch into the rain, jogging for the cover of the trees. She heard him phasing seconds later, and turned to go indoors. Everything was gonna be okay.

Now, time to count the shopping bags and see if she needed to call Alice and get her to buy her a new wardrobe or two.

* * *

**Can you see that button? I'm talking about the green one. It says "Review." No, no - don't head for the "Add Story to Story Alert" button YET! That "Review" button is calling you, okay? :] (Y) Go on, prove that fanfiction people are awesome! :] xx**


	6. Bubbly

**First things first, I am SO SORRY THAT I DIDN'T UPDATE! :O Like, seriously, REALLY sorry! I've had mock exams all week and then I was stuck for inspiration etc etc etc, but chapter 6 is FINALLY here! :D I really hope you like it :] I 3 Blackwater fluff x]**

**Lol, Hannah - My Apologies ;] (she knows what I mean)**

**Brezzybrez: Once again, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! *begs***

**hgmsnoopy: Hehe, I wish I could go shopping with them too *Le sigh*.**

**LaPush Princess13: :P Mwahaha....**

**Alice-Cullen1210 a.k.a Paisley a.k.a O.C obsessive a.k.a BEST FRIEND :L : Thankyou! :D Sorry I kept you waiting :L Hope I'll be forgiven :] Luu x**

**Brankel1: Oh, don't worry, I will! :]**

**Red Apples Inc: Thankyou so much :D Your review made me really happy, I appreciate it :]**

**UnwantedSlag: ....are you still sleep-stalking Edward? :P**

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**Thanks to ALL people who reviewed, added to favourites etc etc, you are ALL AMAZING! :D Enjoy! **

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"The rain is fallin' on my window pane,

But we are hidin' in a safer place,

Under the covers stayin' safe and warm,

You give me feelings that I adore."

Colbie Caillat - Bubbly.

* * *

When Leah awoke at 9 o'clock in the morning, two days later, it was to bright sunlight streaming in through her bedroom window. She rolled over onto her side and checked the time on her mobile, praying that it was actually only 7 o'clock and she could go back to sleep. She sighed when her mobile told her that her prayer's hadn't been answered. Leah had just shut her eyes again when her ringtone started playing and she jumped. "Jeeze!" she whispered as her heart raced from the surprise. Leah picked up the phone and recognized the number instantly. "Hey Jake."

"Hey, Lee. Did I wake you up?"

"Nah," said Leah, rubbing her forehead and smiling. "I was already up."

"Ah, okay. Um. So. It's sunny.....feel like doing something?" Did he really have to ask?  
"Yeah, sure. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was working on my bike yesterday and I need to see if it runs okay. Wanna go for a ride?"

"Sounds good. Can you be here in...an hour? I gotta have breakfast and stuff."

"Yeah. Awesome. I'll see you in an hour then. Bye Lee."

"Bye Jake," Leah replied, ending the call. Right. Well. That was her day sorted. "Okay....going out with Jake...going out with Jake....on a _motorcycle_. What to wear....?"

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up. As usual, her sheets were in a crumpled mess at the end of the bed. Because her body temperature ran so high Leah was often too hot to sleep. Her drawers were so full that they were difficult to open; but eventually she managed to extract a pair of dark denim shorts and some underwear from two of the bottom draws. She found a yellow floral print camisole in her wardrobe and threw that on as well. Then she raked a brush through her hair - which was getting long again, she noticed - and dug out a pair of yellow sneakers. "Hey, Seth," Leah said when she entered the kitchen.

"Mornin' Leah," Seth said from his position on the couch.

"Is mom up?"

"Yeah. She's getting ready to go out to Charlie's _again_. She says that since Bella's living with the Cullens now Charlie needs someone to cook for him."

"Mmhm. Cool." Leah busied herself with sorting out some breakfast, glancing at the clock every now and then.

"Why do you keep checking the time? What's got you so worked up?" Leah snorted.

"I'm hungry, and I really want to eat something before Jake gets here."

"Jake's coming? What? I thought you two hated eachother?" She laughed.

"Yeah, well, that was last week. This week is...different. We're going for a ride to make sure his bike is working fine. And..shouldn't you be in school?" It was Seth's turn to snort.

"Shouldn't _Jake _be in school?" he asked, changing the channel. "Shouldn't you be kicking his ass?" With a shrug and a final glance at the clock, Leah ate her breakfast as slowly as possible, and laced up her sneakers. She still had 15 minutes to kill - she was just about to try and wrestle the remote from her brother when Sue came into the kitchen. "Hey, Mom," said Leah.

"Hey honey." She looked her daughter up and down. "You look nice today, Leah, are you going somewhere?"

"Not really, just hanging out with Jake. He's picking me up in 15 minutes."

"That's nice, dear. I'm glad you and Jake are friends now. It's nice to see you smile." As if on cue, Leah's face broke into a smile.

"Thanks Mom."

"Seth, are you doing anything today?" Seth shrugged.

"Might call Quil and Embry."

"Good. Sometimes I think you're spending way too much time around the Cullens."

"The Cullens are okay. They don't smell too good, but they're nice. Honestly." Sue gave her daughter a surprised stare, before shaking her head and digging through the cupboards for some bread. A few minutes later the familiar roar of a motorbike came from outside and Leah yelled a quick goodbye to her Mom and brother before rushing out the door.

"Hey Jake," she said, springing down the porch steps.

"Hey Leah. Someone's in a good mood this morning." Leah grinned.

"Yeah. I don't know why. I just am." Jake laughed and handed her a helmet.

"Well, come on then." With a smile Leah put her helmet on and got on the back of the motorbike, wrapping her arms tightly round Jacob's waist.

"Ready?" She nodded. And then they were moving, faster than she'd ever moved before, at least in human form. Soon they were racing along the roads that ran through the La Push forests, the wind making Leah's hair fly out behind her even with the helmet on. She laughed. On both sides of them trees went on as far as her eyes could see. The sun shone down through the top branches and cast a golden light on their surroundings, while above them the sky was a rare baby blue. All around them, La Push was at its most beautiful.

They'd been going for at least twenty minutes when Jake began to slow down. They came to a halt at the side of the road, and Leah pulled her helmet off. "Where are we?" she asked as she shook her hair out.

"Near the beach," Jacob answered, taking off his own helmet.

"Cool." Leah jumped off the bike and took a big breath of air. Ah. _Now _she could smell the slightl saltiness in the wind. "I'm guessing....that way?" She pointed across through the trees to their right. Jacob nodded as climbed off the bike and began pushing it in the direction of the trees.

"Yep, that way. I'm just gonna hide my bike behind some trees or something, then we can go."

"Okay," said Leah, smiling. She practically skipped ahead as he hid the bike, waiting by a fallen tree for him, then they kept pace with eachother as they walked towards the beach. "I can't believe the weather today. It's...so _sunny_."

"I know. Better than constant rain though. Hopefully the forecast will hold up for the meeting tonight." Leah frowned and turned to Jake.

"Meeting? What meeting?" Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Sam's pack and the Cullens. Sam wants us to come."

"What time?"

"...Nine-thirty tonight....is that a problem?"

"Damn it. Yeah, it's a problem. I was gonna watch She's the Man on TV!" Jake laughed.

"You can always record it. But we have to go to the meeting, it could be important." Leah shrugged and sighed.

"Well, this is going to be fun."

"Hey, look on the bright side - if the Vampires Alice saw are dangerous, we might be in for some entertainment when they show," said Jake, nudging Leah in the side with his elbow. She considered this.

"True...I haven't phased in a while. I quite feel like a good run and some Vampire-killing."

"That's the spirit!" Leah snorted.

"So..you gonna be okay tonight? With..um...Bella?" Jake frowned thoughtfully for a minute, then smiled.

"Yeah. I think I will."

"Just talk to her like you used to. I'm sure that soon it'll feel like nothing's changed. Well, almost nothing." Leah didn't bring up the brief conversation she'd had with Jake's....sort-of-ex-best friend while shopping with Alice. She hoped Bella would have the sense not to mention it to Jacob either.

They finally reached the beach. The sunlight reflected off the ocean and made everything look very bright. Both Leah and Jacob were sure that if a Vampire stood out there the light would be blinding. Leah kicked some sand up with her foot. "Shame the Cullens aren't here," she said quietly. "Do you think they miss the sun?" Jacob shrugged.

"Maybe. I would. But they're probably used to it." He picked up a stone and skimmed it out across the sea. Leah watched the perfect ripples the stone made slowly disappear. She believed Jake would be okay with Bella tonight. But...would she be okay? With Sam? It would be the first time she and Sam had been phased at the same time since Leah had made the agreement with Jacob to help eachother, and she didn't know how being inside his head again would affect her? It wasn't so much that she was hurt because he left her for her cousin - although that was definately something she'd like to kick his ass for. It was more just..all that damned happiness. The unfairness of it all just did her head in. _I'll be fine, _she told herself. _I hope_.

"Oh, um," said Leah, suddenly remembering something. "What was it Billy wanted to talk to you about the other day?" Jake smiled and skimmed another stone.

"He just wanted to talk about...well, my sudden mood change, I guess. I told him I was feeling a lot better. I told him some of the stuff I told you when you came to see me, about Bella and everything, but not all of it." Leah nodded.

"What did he say?"

"He said he's glad me and you are spending more time together."

XXXXXXX

Reluctantly, Leah had to put She's The Man on record, and head to the meeting. She and Seth said goodbye to their mother and made for the treeline. Just before she phased, Leah took a deep breath. "Okay, so, let's do this," she said, putting all thoughts of her agreement with Jake from her mind. She was going to be nice. She was going to play the role of responsible Beta. That was all. She let the familiar surge of heat travel down her spine and next thing she knew she was a wolf.

_"Come on Lee!" _Leah could see in her mind that Seth was already far ahead of her.

_"I'm coming, I'm coming!" _She began to run. She had always been the fastest out of both packs, despite being one of the smallest. Leah had caught up with her brother in no time, and all the forest animals quickly got out of the way of the two racing wolves.

_"Lee, Seth, it's about time!" _came Jacob's voice. Leah snorted.

_"Well, you did tell me to put She's The Man on record." _Her Alpha laughed.

_"You watch She's The Man?"_

_"Yeah...is that a problem, Quil?"_

_"Um. No. I just didn't know you watched chickflicks."_

_"I _am _a girl, y'know. Cut me some slack. Besides, Channing Tatum is just like...wow."_

_"Okay, sis, I really don't want to know."_

_"Yeah, do you know how weird it'll be if we have dreams about him because of this?"_

_"Embry, you probably have dreams about him anyway." _Quil laughed at his own joke.

_"Haha Quil, you're so funny,_" said Leah sarcastically. At that moment the werewolves felt Sam phase in.

"_Thought I should see for myself where you two were,_" he said to Leah and Seth.

"_We're almost there, Sam,_" answered Seth bluntly. Seth and Sam hadn't gotten on since the day Sam left Leah for Emily. When Seth broke away from Sam's pack to follow Jacob and protect the Cullens things only got worse between them. Thankfully, they were now on speaking terms. But that didn't mean they had to like eachother.

_"A few more minutes at the most,_" Leah decided to chip in. _Oh, come on Leah, you can come up with something better than that! _She wracked her brain for something better to say, something that would prove to her packmates that she was over Sam, that she was ready - and more than willing - to move on. "_So...how's Emily doing?_"

"_She's...uh....good. Thanks._" Sam, Quil, Embry and Seth made no effort to hide their surprise. Jake laughed quietly to himself.

"_She's lucky, she gets to stay at home and watch She's The Man...._"

"_Please Lee, no more thoughts about Channing Tatum!_" begged Embry just as Collin and Brady phased in.

As Leah had predicted she and Seth arrived at the clearing less than two minutes later. The Cullens were standing in a huddle at the opposite end, while Sam, Jake, Quil and Embry were in wolf form a few feet away. Paul and Jared were talking together in human form. Seth and Leah phased and dressed, then entered the clearing. "It's about time," said Jared to them, breaking off his conversation with Paul. Seth shrugged, walking over to the Cullens. Leah tagged along behind him, not particularly wanting to have to hang around Paul. They weren't exactly the best of friends, and she wasn't in the mood for an arguement right now.

"Good evening Leah, Seth," said Edward as they approached, smiling. "Enjoy the shopping trip, Leah?" The she-wolf shook her head, laughing slightly.

"Relax, Edward, I'm not going to kill you for it...at least, not yet. I'd say I'd murder you in your sleep, but that's not exactly possible."

"LEAHHH!" There was an excited scream and the next thing Leah knew she'd been pounced on by a small, pixie-like Vampire.

"Uh, hey, Alice...."

"Oh my God, you wore that top! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist what I bought you!" Leah was just about to reply when Jacob spoke.

"Okay people, let's get this meeting underway, then." Collin and Brady had finally arrived, and now all the werewolves were in human form in a group.

"So...I've been told that..Alice?...had a vision of some Vampires coming to Forks?" Alice stepped forward, smiling at Sam even though he barely knew her name and wasn't prepared to start liking her.

"Yes, I had a vision two weeks ago that a group of Vampires are going to be arriving in Forks within the next few months. They're simply passing through, I think, but if my memory serves me correctly one of them is a survivor of the newborn battle." There were a few sighs, a growl from Paul and Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Why can't they just _stay _dead?" he asked.

"So, Alice, these Vamps aren't...dangerous, right?" asked Seth. Alice frowned for a moment in thought, the expression looking very out of place on her perfect face.

"I don't think so. They're not vegetarians, but as far as I can tell they mean us no harm and won't be feeding here at all. I'll be sure to let you know if I get any more visions." Sam forgot that he was talking to a group of Vampires for a moment and turned to Carlisle.

"You don't recognise them, do you? You know lots of other Vampires, right?" _Wow. He didn't call them leeches! _Then Leah remembered that up until a week ago she'd done just that, and blushed faintly. As Sam and Carlisle began discussing various Vampires, tactics and strategies, Jake edged closer to his Beta.

"Looks like you might get a fight after all," he said with a small smile. "I have to admit, you _are _kinda morbid for a girl." Leah rolled her eyes and gave her Alpha a playful shove. He didn't even stagger.

"I am not morbid! And yeah....I just really hope it doesn't clash with She's The Man."

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**I plan on starting Chapter 7 as soon as I get home from school tomorrow ;] **

**REVIEW PLEASE :] Even if you just want to add to favourites or something, I'd really love to know your opinion on Sweet Escape, it helps me write later chapters! **

**xx**


	7. Friends, Lovers or Nothing

**Chapter Seven hereee :] This is a bit short, but I needed to get this part out of the way. It may seem kinda insignificant but it's actually important ;] Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! :D You guys are AWESOME!**

**Paisleyy - Hope you feel better soon hun :] **

**Just to clear things up a bit: Bella is a Vampire, and at the time of this chapter Nessie is about 1 and a half months old. I just haven't written about her yet :L But she is there, trust me :] She'll come into play later on (Y).**

**And before you get any ideas, I hate the idea of Jake imprinting on her :/ Big fat NO NO to that (N)**

**Ah well, Life goes on ^^ It's what they make fanfiction for :L Hope you enjoy this chapter :] Also, just so you know, Sam isn't an asshole in Sweet Escape (Y). He honestly cares for Leah's wellbeing after all the stuff he put her through :]**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"Anything other than yes is no,

Anything other than stay is go,

Anything less than 'I love you' is lying."

John Mayer - Friends, Lovers or Nothing.

* * *

Sam was trying to play the "oblivious" card, like the rest of his friends seemed to be able to do. He felt like the only one who had any sense - why was it that nobody else could see that something had majorly, majorly changed? It had been a week since his meeting with the Cullens, and Leah and Jacob's behaviour seemed to be getting weirder by the hour. At the meeting they'd been pushing eachother about and playfighting, and he'd heard from Paul who heard from Rachel who heard from Billy who heard from Sue who heard from Seth who heard from Leah that the two of them had spent practically the whole day together. Which is why he'd been fairly surprised when he saw the Alpha and Beta together yet again, the following day. "Jacob is happier, Leah is happier, and they're spending time _together_. Am I the only one who seems to make a connection there?" he asked Emily that evening. Emily just smiled.

"You think they're happier because of eachother?" Sam nodded, looking slightly confused.

"I think you might be right. I'm just happy that they're happy."

"But what if it all....y'know...gets to be something more? What if Leah gets hurt again?"

"Try not to get ahead of yourself, honey, but I understand where you're coming from. All we can do is wait and see, I suppose."

Deep down, Sam knew he should listen to his fiancee. But as the days went by and Jake and Leah grew visibly closer he continued to worry. He knew it was none of his business, but he just needed to do something. Anything. He thought about talking to Billy about it at first, then he realised that Jake would definately find out from Billy that Sam had been doing some snooping around, and might take it the wrong way. Still, Sam reasoned, just because he didn't love Leah anymore didn't mean that he didn't still care about her well-being.

Sam was pacing the kitchen, wondering what to do. The phone kept catching his eye, and after five minutes of doing nothing but stare at it he went over and picked it up. He'd dialled Jake's number before he realised what he was doing. "Hello?"

"Jake?"

"Sam?" Suddenly, Sam's mind went blank. What the hell was he going to say? "What is it? Are you okay?"

"Uh..yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Uh. Listen, Jake, could you maybe....come over, or something? Like, now? Nothing urgent, I just need to talk to you about...something."

"Yeah, sure," Jacob replied hesitantly. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Thanks. Bye."

"Bye...." Sam hung up, running a hand through his hair. Right, he'd made the call - now, how to phrase what he wanted to say so that he didn't sound like he was trying to interfere?

"Sam, please tell me you didn't just call Jacob?" asked Emily, coming into the room.

"I have to at least try and say something. Even if he doesn't get what I'm saying now, if something more becomes of this then he'll understand what I mean. If not then...it won't matter that he doesn't understand." Emily rolled her eyes.

"Well...just don't freak him out, or make him mad or anything." She stood on her tiptoes so that she could kiss her future husband on the cheek, and then left the room. Sam returned to pacing. It was less than ten minutes before Jacob showed up.

"Sam, what's all this about?" Jacob asked, sitting down in the nearest chair when Sam gestured for him to take a seat. He had never figured Sam Uley to be one for getting worked up over things. Sam resumed his pacing, staring intently at the floor. _It _must _be bad,_ Jake thought. Sam was becoming more frustrated by the second.

_How to phrase it, how to phrase it, how to phrase it?_ "So...Jake." _Right, okay, good start._ "How're things?" He sat down in the chair opposite his guest. Jacob, surprised, took a second to answer.

"Uh...good, thanks."

"Good." Sam paused a second, wondering what Jake's reaction would be to his next question. "And...how's...y'know. Bella?" For a split second, Jake froze. Then he quickly regained his composure.

_Why's he asking me about Bella? _Although her name didn't cause that stab of pain in his heart like it used to, he was suddenly very suspicious. Did Sam want to attack the Cullens again? They had literally only been friends again for a couple of months - surely he hadn't reverted back to the "Nessie-is-a-monster-she-must-die" way of thinking? Ignoring the dull ache in his chest, Jacob answered. "Bella's fine. I'm fine. Great, actually. Me and her are friends again, now." Sam nodded, smiling. "Sometimes it still hurts, but almost all the time I'm completely over her."

_Good! _Sam inwardly cheered. The chances of his ex-fiancee getting hurt were now at least a little smaller. "That's good, Jake, really. It is.."....Pause...Jake took this time to find a distracton from Bella.

He didn't want the pain, he didn't even want Bella the way he used to, but his stupid heart wouldn't get the message. Eventually his thoughts came to rest on Leah. He hadn't seen her in a couple of days and he was really starting to miss having her around. The last time he'd seen her Jake had been recruited into helping Leah and Seth clear out their basement, so he and his Beta hadn't had much of a chance to talk. He missed her smile and her laugh, and the way her eyes sparkled when she was happy. But most of all, Jacob missed how Leah could make him forget, so that he could pretend that it was just him and her and nothing and no one else existed or mattered. In a lot of ways, Leah was his sweet escape. "Jake? Hello? Are you listening?"

"What!? Sorry, I zoned out for a second there," Jake apologized, coming back to Earth and running a hand through his hair. Sam rolled his eyes and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"I asked how Leah was."

"Oh..." What was he going to say? He'd promised Leah that they wouldn't mention their agreement to the guys, and he knew that she definately wouldn't want Sam to know. _Okay, right IMPROVISE JAKE, IMPROVISE! _"She's great, too. She's been a lot happier lately."

"Really? Why do you think that is?"

_Wow, Jake. Awesome. Now excuse me while I go dig your grave for you. _Jacob shrugged. "Um...I dunno. She's just happy." _Anyone got a shovel? _"Don't take this the wrong way, Sam, but I think...well, that maybe she's starting to move on and be her old self again." _Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to pay tribute to Jacob Black, who, sadly, was brutally murdered in his sleep by Leah Clearwater for failing to keep his big mouth shut...._But to Jake's surprise, Sam nodded.

"That's nice to know. I'm glad she's happy again. She deserves it after everything that's happened."

There was a few moments of awkward silence. "So...is that all?" After thinking for a second Sam spoke again.

"You and Leah seem a lot closer lately...?"

_Shit. _"Yeah. Uh..." Jake shrugged. "We just kinda started talking and it went from there. She helps me stop thinking about Bella." Not the truth, but not a lie - they started talking, but it was more confessing than anything else....and Leah helped Jake with Bella because when he was with her he didn't think about Bella at all.

"Okay....thanks, Jake. That's all." Jake got hastily to his feet, wondering why Sam was being so weird. Couldn't an Alpha hang out with his Beta every once in a while? They walked to the back door and Jake stepped out onto the porch.

"Hey, Sam....why did you want to know all that stuff anyway?" he suddenly asked, turning around to face his ex-Alpha with a confused expression on his face. Sam shrugged.

"I was just curious. Gotta stay updated and everything." Jacob nodded his head slowly. He had no idea in hell what Sam was going on about.

"Okay. Well..I'll see ya later then Sam. Bye."

"Bye, Jake." Jake began walking towards the treeline. Should he hide the conversation he'd just had with Sam from the others when he phased, or not? "Jake?" Jacob half-turned around again.

"Yeah, Sam?"

"Don't....don't hurt her, okay? Not like I did." With that Sam closed the door, leaving Jacob standing alone and bewildered.

_What the hell...?_

Jake shook his head, and continued on towards the trees. When he was safely out of sight he undressed and phased. He pushed all thoughts of what just happened out of his mind as he did so. Better to leave it until later, when he actually understood what Sam had meant. After hiding his thoughts from Seth and Embry, he distracted himself by thinking about the weather. The sun was holding up, and the day was as beautiful as it had been when he and Leah went for a test-run on his bike. Damn it - why did all thoughts seem to lead to Leah?

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**As usual....Love it? Like it? Hate it? ^^ I need to know peeps! Reviews = FASTER updates, LOVE and COOKIES! :D Until next time...Toodles! ;]**


	8. Rainbow

**Chapter 8 is now up! ;] This one has a lot of the Cullens, hehe...I'd just like to say I used BabelFish for the translation, so I'm sorry if it's wrong :L Thanks to everyone who reviewed; hgmsnoopy, brezzybrez, YoGurlB, hilja, La Mariposa3795, alice-cullen1210 (loveyoutoo bestmatee :] ) and brankel1.**

**Seriously, I had the biggest smile when I finished reading your reviews :D You guys ROCK!**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter :D I've got a lot of ideas stored up so I'm off to start Chapter 9 :P**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"I'm still feelin' the rain fall, bouncin' off my skin,

How long do I have to wait for the sun to shine again?

Come on, paint me a rainbow so I can follow it,

I don't know where it'll take me but I like wonderin'."

Colbie Caillat - Rainbow.

* * *

Normally, Leah would have kicked herself for even _thinking _about doing this. But she didn't do anything the normal way anymore, so it didn't exactly matter. It was two weeks after she went shopping with the Cullens, and she felt bad for not seeing Alice properly since. She'd been spending much of her time with Jacob, or helping her Mom clear out the basement. _Why _that had to be done, she didn't know. Anyway, when she could have stayed at home and stuffed her face with junk food and watched marathons of Jerry Springer, why was she walking to the Cullens' house? Simple: she'd promised Esme that she wouldn't be a stranger, and she'd only had a few moments to speak to Alice at the meeting the other night. Besides, Seth had Paul, Jared and Quil round, and they were pissing her off. Sher honestly had no idea how Seth could put up with their constant rambling about their imprints. It was all "Rachel" this, "Kim" that and "Claire" _is sooo freakin' cute! _and all this other stuff that she didn't give a shit about. Leah had nothing against Rachel or Kim, and Claire _was _cute, but she hated how imprinting had changed her three pack brothers.

Jared was still pretty much Jared. Quil, on the other hand, had once wanted to move to the Playboy Mansion, but now he wa sall for chastity and marriage and kids etc etc. Only if Claire was involved, of course. Paul had changed, too; he was still an asshole quite often, but when Rachel was around he never once lost his temper, and the way he looked at her was almost painful to watch. Still, Leah realised with a sigh. Imprinting was something she would have to get used to. It took away your choices and left you a goopy-brained mess - her and Jacob both agreed on that. But it was a part of wolf life. Jared was still Jared, Quil wasn't really a paedophile and Paul was still an asshole. The same thing would happen to her if she imprinted. Come to think of it..._would _she ever find her soulmate? Or had her genetic dead-end status put a stop to that, as well?

"Really, Leah, your mind is fascinating." Leah was dragged out of her thoughts, and found herself standing on the front porch of the Cullens' house, a hand outstretched to knock on the front door. Except the door was already open and Edward was standing in the doorway watching her. Leah's expression relaxed from a frown into a confused smile.

"How long have I been standing here?" she asked in a dazed voice, lowering her hand.

"A good few minutes," Edward answered, shrugging.

"Hey! THE SHE-WOLF'S HERE!"

"Emmett, we know. We figured that out as soon as we smelled her."

"Ah, but nobody _announced _it, did they Jazz?" With a roll of his eyes Jasper came into view.

"I should warn you, Leah, Em's a bit on the hyperactive side today." Leah laughed.

"Don't worry, I'll watch my back."

Jasper smiled - the first time she'd ever seen him do so - and walked off. Edward finally stepped back to let Leah into the house, closing the door behind her.

"So, She Wolf, what'cha doing here on a Saturday? You know there's a Jerry Springer marathon on, right?"

"Believe me Emmett, I know. I came to see Alice. I felt bad for not seeing her properly in a while." Almost before Leah could finish her sentence Alice appeared in front of her. If she hadn't been a werewolf she would have jumped.

"Hey Leah!" Alice said, smiling broadly and waving. "I'm sooo glad you came over! Me and Rose are looking at dresses, and we need to decide which one to order for you!" Leah started protesting as Alice grabbed her by the hand and hauled her up the stairs.

"Alice, you've already bought me enough! Seriously, I don't need a dress..."

"If it makes you feel better, it's a bridesmaid dress. And I think blue would look really good on you!"

Wait, wait, HOLD UP! _Bridesmaid dress! _Who the hell was getting married! _Oh dear God, please tell me Seth didn't imprint on Renesmee! Although, Nessie only looks about three, so I think we're in the clear..._"Alice, who's getting married?" Leah asked, fearing the answer.

"Rose and Emmett. Now, hair up or down...?"

"But, aren't they already married?"

"Yes, but they have another wedding every couple of decades or so. It seems a little strange but when you don't sleep and you live forever you really do need a way to keep entertained. Besides, I get to plan it, so I'm not complaining!"

"Can't they just...learn a foreign language or something?" Leah thought that the idea of renewing wedding vows made sense, but...having an entire new wedding? Because you were _bored? Note to self: Never become a Vampire. _Alice stopped and raised an eyebrow at Leah.

"Emmett already knows at least five. Rosalie went an entire month speaking only French." She rolled her eyes. "Although, it did help when we went to Paris fashion week..." She trailed off and was silent for a second, then looked back at Leah. "Just _please_ don't ask Emmett to speak Spanish. _Ever!_ It's so annoying."

Then, from two floors down, Leah heard Emmett clearly bellow: "Hey, ella lobo! Hacen usted tienen gusto de ranas!" Alice groaned.

"What did he say?" Leah thought about lowering her voice, but realised Emmett would probably hear her anyway.

"He called you She Wolf again and asked if you liked frogs."

"Uh...I guess I'd better watch out for falling amphibians."

"Yes, I would."

"So...you're telling me that Rosalie and Emmett are getting married, _again_...and I'm a bridesmaid?"

"Basically, yes. How do you feel about off-the-shoulder dresses?"

"Does Rosalie know about this?"

"It was her idea." Leah froze, although Alice kept tugging on her hand until she started moving again. It was _Rosalie's _idea?

_Rosalie wants me to be in her wedding! As a bridesmaid! _"Alice...are you sure?"

"Of course, Leah!" she said, opening a door at the end of the corridor. She steered Leah into the room, which turned out to be the biggest bedroom she'd ever seen.

"Jake's sisters would have killed for a room like this," she found herself mumbling.

"I'm glad you like it." Leah tore her eyes away from the expensive furnishings and old paintings, her gaze landing instead on Rosalie, who was sitting at a desk on the other side of the room with a laptop open in front of her. A split second later Alice had pulled up a chair inbetween herself and Rosalie. She patted it.

"Come on Leah, there's a gorgeous Balenciaga dress that will look stunning on you!" In a bit of a daze, Leah obediently crossed the room and sat down in the chair.

"So...Rosalie...you want me to be in your wedding?" Rosalie nodded, motioning for Alice to click on the image of a dress she liked. "But...why?" Rosalie turned and smiled at Leah - _Oh my God, she smiled at me! THE WORLD IS ENDING!._

"Because, Leah, you're not as bad as everyone thinks you 're kinda like cinderella, actually..."

"Cinderella?" _Okay, I have three words: What. The. Fuck? CINDERELLA? Okay, so maybe four words._

"Yes. You know...it's like a cycle. Cinderella started off as a good person, but she'd been treated badly by other people and a lot of people didn't like her." She pointed to another dress before she continued speaking. "But then Cinderella's fairy godmother came along and turned her into this beautiful princess, and she won her Prince and lived happily ever after."

"English, please, Rose."

"You started off like Cinderella did. Jacob is kind of like your fairy godmother. He's helping you turn into a princess." Leah couldn't help herself. She stared at Rosalie for a split second and then burst out laughing.

"J-Jake's my f-fairy godm-mother! Ohmigod!" She had no idea what she found so funny, but for some reason she was clutching her sides and finding it hard to breathe. "He's gonna l-love that! G-God Rose, you're actually f-funny!"

She spent the next few minutes trying to catch her breath, wiping away tears. Rosalie just shook her head, smiling again, and continued discussing dresses with Alice. When Leah could finally speak again, she grinned. "Sorry about that. Good comparison."

"Thankyou. Now. Would you like to be a part of my wedding Leah? It's not compulsory but - "

"Sure, I'd love to." _Did that really just come out of my mouth? Jesus Christ, what's happening to me? _Rosalie's smile widened. Alice squealed excitedly.

"This is going to be AMAZING!" she cried.

Was Leah actually _friends _with Rosalie now? She supposed she had to be, if she was going to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. _I guess we do have some things in common...she's not exactly human, and im not exactly human either...neither of us can have kids, although we want to...she was a bitter harpy and I am...was...a bitter harpy._ "God knows what Jake's going to say when I tell him I'm a bridesmaid at your wedding," Leah said, still feeling quite confused. Alice laughed her tinkly laugh, and Rosalie grinned.

"Well," Alice began, "When you see him, tell him he's invited."

"Really?"

"Yes, he's invited." Rosalie laughed.

"And tell him he needs to come over to get his tux fitted."

"Tux? Oh no...you've roped him in as well, right?"

"Emmett wants him to be best man." Leah burst out laughing again.

The Elders were going to love this! "We're meant to be mortal enemies, and we're invited to each other's weddings," Leah said, rolling her eyes. "If that's not messed up, I don't know what is."

"True, true. Oh, and I forgot. We'd like Seth to be an usher, if you could run that by him."

"You know he'll say yes anyway, Alice." Before Alice could reply Bella appeared in the doorway.

"Hi, Leah," she said, smiling.

"Hey Bella," Leah replied, smiling back.

"Esme's made you some lunch, it's down in the kitchen." Leah shook her head.

"I keep telling her that there's really no need." Bella shrugged.

"She enjoys it. She only gets to cook when the pack are over."

"Well, lunch is calling." Leah got to her feet. "I'll be back in a little while," she said to Rosalie and Alice.

"Okay," Alice said, typing in a web address. "I'm making a folder for all the dresses that would suit you, and when you get back we can see what you think."

Leah left the room with Bella. "I never thought I would, but I actually miss food," said Bella sadly.

"Trust me, there's no escaping food when you're a wolf. I'm permanently hungry and it drives me crazy."

"So...Rosalie convinced you to be a bridesmaid?"

"Yeah...I'm actually looking forward to it," Leah said. She laughed. "And seeing Jake's face when he finds out he's best man." Bella smiled.

"Rose and Emmett have had so many weddings that Carlisle, Jasper and Edward have all been best man, so they figured it was only fair that someone else got to be best man this time, rather than pick someone twice. The invitation's extended to Quil and Embry too, if you could tell them. Sam, Paul and Jared and the girls are invited, but they know they're not fond of us so they won't be offended if they don't come."

"Well, I'll pass on the message, but I'm not sure what they're going to say. When _is _the wedding, anyway?"

"Two days before Emily's wedding. Rose thought that if Emily came and the wedding was the day before it would be too much stress for her." Bella frowned slightly. "Also, Jake needs to speak to Sam. You see, Tanya and her family are coming, and we're not sure if it will affect the rest of La Push. We really don't want any more boys to phase, it's not fair of us."

A wedding where the only guests were vampires and werewolves. This was going to be fun...

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**Review and I will love you forever! :] xx**


	9. Clarity

**Chapter Nineee :] I know it's a bit shortt but I needed yet another gap-filler :L I've planned every chapter up to chapter 25, so I'm finally organised! :D**

**In this chapter, Jake does some thinking :P**

**Hope to update again soon! Thanks to all my lovely reviewers :] **

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"And I will waste no time,

Worried 'bout no rainy weather,

And I will waste no time,

Remaining in our lives together."

John Mayer - Clarity.

* * *

It had been a week since Sam told Jacob not to hurt Leah. And Jake was still pretty much baffled. The forest on a summer evening had always been one of his favourite places. Right now, the trees blocked out some of the sunlight so that there were occasionally golden pools on the forest floor, where sometimes he liked to just sit and watch the pollen motes swirl in the light. It helped him clear his head. But Jacob was alone inside his head for once, being the only one phased, and he was determined to enjoy it. Quil was at Claire's, Sam and Emily had wedding stuff to sort out, Paul and Rachel were at Billy's - and Jake _really _hoped his father was home. He didn't want to think what they would be up to otherwise - Colin and Brady were out of town and Embry and Seth were hanging out at Sue's. Leah was over at the Cullens' again, thought he couldn't for the life of him come up with an idea why.

Still, Leah had been changing. She was happier now, and he wasn't going to argue with that. But what the hell had Sam meant? "Don't hurt her, not like I did"? Jake wouldn't ever hurt her. He and Lee were friends now. Shouldn't Sam have picked up on that? _Or maybe, he did pick up on it. But he thinks I'm just going to abandon her when she gets to be too much._ Jacob rolled his huge eyes and picked up his speed. There was nothing like running as fast as you could, with your head all to yourself. _This is way too confusing. Leah's not a pain in the ass anymore, so it's not like she'll be a handle any time soon._

Maybe wedding stress was making Sam crack up? Jake wouldn't be surprised. _Right, so...let's think this through...he said, 'Don't hurt her, not like I did'. And Sam hurt Leah by leaving her for Emily._ Frowning, Jake continued weaving in and out of the trees while he thought. _But...Sam and Leah were together for years before he left her. They were engaged. Last time I checked, Leah wasn't my future wife. _Why couldn't Sam just say things simply? Why did everything have to have a double meaning?

_If I imprinted, it would hurt Leah because..._Jacob searched his head for reasons. _Because I'd be spending all my time with my imprint, and not her, and that's not what good friends do. And...because it would go back on everything we've said. Imprinting's just mind control, not love. Plus I'd be a goopy-brained mess. _He sighed. So, there was one meaning. Now what was the second? Sam had loved Leah up until Emily came along, and then BAM, he's Emily's slave for life...but that was all in the past now, why bring it up again? Unless...

Something clicked into place. _Sam Uley, you moron! _Sam thought Jake and Leah were more than friends? _God. He needs some common sense. Can't me and Lee just be mates without anyone interfering? We're helping eachother. We have an agreement. Jesus Christ..._Jake's mind went back to the Satuday Leah showed up at his house. Looking different, and acting different. He saw a different side of her that day. He still hadn't seen her since helping the Clearwaters clear out their basement. That was almost two weeks ago, and it was driving him crazy. _That's understandable. I mean, I need her as much as she needs me. She's my friend. My best friend, really. _He made up his mind to call her sometime soon.

But seriously, how could Sam think Jake was into Leah like that? She was his Beta. She was his friend. That was it. There was no way that she saw him as more than a friend. Because of Sam she had major trust issues. Although Jacob was beginning to see why Sam had fallen for Leah in the first place. She was smart, and funny. Didn't take shit from anyone. Leah was one of the strongest people he'd ever met. So maybe she was a little broken, but she was pulling along. Pieces can be glued together, fragments collected and arranged back into their original layout. She was getting better. Jake stopped running.

_Hang on. I shouldn't be thinking about Leah like that. _Sure, she was attractive, but they were just friends. Yupp. Just friends.

_"Dude! That's my sister!" _Oh God. He'd been so deep in thought that he'd let his guard down, and Seth could've heard it all.

_"Seth, how much did you...uh...hear?"_

_"What do mean, how much did I hear? I heard everything."_

_"Sorry man. Sam's confusing me. I was just trying to work out what he meant."_

_"Yeah...of course you were..."_

* * *

**Of all the people that could have caught Jake thinking about Leah... :] What did you think? Too much, too little? Not enough Seth? :L I've been busy so it's been hard to write, but I triedd :] Lol, reviewww! xx**


	10. Breakthrough

**Heyy :] I'm _finally _back with Chapter 10! Sorry it took me so long update, but I've recently had a Maths GCSE and been swapped teachers and classes and stuff, so school's just generally been stressful. Also, I swear my German teacher has it in for me *looks around suspiciously*.....Aha :] I randomly uploaded a oneshot called Blissful Reality, and I just want to thank everyone who reviewed that! Thankyouu soooooo much, your reviews were all lovely and they gave me the biggest smile ever! :D You guys are officially AMAZIN'! You're all going on my list of Awesome People ^^!**

**Aaaaanywayyssss :L Chapter 10! The big 1-0! Hehehe...I hope you all enjoy it, it took a lot for me to get this chapter written because I was looking forward to Chapter 11 so much :L**

**A final thanks to everyone who reviewed Blissful Reality, and who reviewed Chapter Nine :] I love you! ^^ (Yes, Alice-Cullen1210, I love you too :P xx)**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"Can we try to let it go? If we don't then we'll never know,

I try to break through, but you know that it's up to you,

I know that our love can grow, well this damn river needs to flow,

I will try to break through, but you know that it's up to you."

Colbie Caillat - Breakthrough.

* * *

It was a bloody good thing Jacob could think on his feet. After Seth had caught him thinking about Leah, there'd been a barrage of questions. Jake had given the first answers that came into his head, and hopefully assured Seth that he was nothing but close friends with his Beta. As it was, Leah had phased just a few moments after Seth finally gave up on questioning Jake, so they had to shut up. And then Leah threw them both a bit off track with a couple of bombshells. When he heard that he was wanted to be best man at Emmett and Rosalie's wedding Jacob stumbled and almost ran headfirst into a tree. _"Me, best man!?" _he had said. _"Why can't they just pick Seth or something?"_

Leah had just rolled her eyes.

_"Because Jasper wants him to be best man when he and Alice get married again, which won't be for a while but Alice can see it happening."_

_"Wow....I'm really an usher? WOW."_

_"Seth, calm down."_

Jake replayed the conversation over and over inside his head on his way to Sam's house. He wondered what would have happened if Leah had been the one to phase in the middle of his thinking session. Would she have freaked out at Sam? Would she have freaked out at _Jake_? If he was honest, he didn't understand why he'd started thinking about Leah like that. It was all Sam Uley's fault.

So, if that was the case, why was Jacob walking over to his house on a Saturday when he could have been at home watching the game with his dad? Well, to put it simply, Sam had asked him to come over. He'd said he and Jake needed to discuss "pack business", so Jake was seriously hoping that Leah wouldn't come up again. Awkward, embarassing conversations were never his strong point. Still, "pack business" needed to be taken care of.

Jake was still Alpha of his little pack, consisting of himself, Seth and Leah. Sam was still Alpha of _his _pack, which included Jared, Paul, Quil, Embry, Collin and Brady, as well as Sam himself. It was kind of weird to still be able to hear eachother's thoughts when you were part of two seperate packs. It definately took a while to get used to. But what was this "pack business" Sam needed to talk about? Nothing serious, right? It couldn't be. Jacob would've known if something was up....

"No, stop worrying," Jake told himself. "You'll just get yourself stressed out." He climbed the steps of Sam and Emily's porch, and knocked on the front door. Lately he'd taken to actually wearing proper clothes, so he put his hands in the pockets of his jacket and waited. A few moments later Sam opened the door.

"Hi, Jacob," he said.

"Hey, Sam. You wanted to see me about pack business?"

"Yeah. Come in." Sam stood back to allow Jake to enter the house. Holding back a sigh, Jake walked down the corridor and into the kitchen, where he found Emily flitting around as usual.

"Oh, Jake, hi!" she said as she pulled a fresh tray of muffins out of the oven and set them on the kitchen counter. "I just need to set these to cool, then I'll leave you two to it." Jacob sat down at the kitchen table, holding his hands up as a gesture for her to calm down.

"Em, it's okay, seriously."

By the time Sam entered the room Emily was done, the muffins sitting on a cooling rack by the window. She then quickly vanished. "Did she put too many colourings in her muffins?" asked Jake, smiling slightly. "She's crazy today." Sam laughed, and sat down opposite Jake at the table.

"Maybe," he said. "But she's actually part of the reason we need to discuss the packs."

"I'm all ears." Sam didn't answer right away, but instead thought over his words for a moment.

"Right now, I'm so busy with the pack that I barely spend time with her anymore," he began. Jacob nodded.

"Okay..."

"And I don't think it's fair if I continue to do that when we're married. Basically, I want to step down." For a second Jake's composure slipped and his jaw dropped by a centimetre, but he quickly sorted himself and raised his eyebrows casually instead.

"But Sam, if you step down, who's going to be Alpha? Jared?" With a laugh, Sam answered,

"No, not Jared. If we combined the packs again - which we might as well do, because there's not really much of a divide anymore - then you can be Alpha."

"Me? Alpha of everyone?"

"You're already an Alpha, how hard can it be, right?"

"Sam, my pack has three people in it, including me. Yours has....seven, including yourself."

"But you have Leah as a Beta, and she counts for at least five people even if she isn't a handful anymore. She's happier, but still incredibly stubborn." Sam said this last part with a smile, and Jacob felt a something inside of him start to faintly glow. He'd told Sam that Leah was happier, but he didn't think that his ex-Alpha had actually paid attention to it. A smile crept onto Jake's face; now he was definately going to have to call her tonight. "So, Jake, are you up for it?"

"I don't suppose I have any choice, so yeah, I'll do it. But Leah remains my Beta." Sam nodded, smiling.

"Of course. We'll break it to the others in a few days."

"Anything else?"

"Yes. Has Alice had anymore visions of those Vampires?" Jacob shook his head.

"I don't think so, but I'll keep you posted. Oh, Sam, there's something else as well."

"What's that?" Jake frowned slightly, wondering how to phrase it.

"Well....you know Rosalie and Emmett? A.k.a Blondie and the big dude?"

"Yeah?"

"Okay, right. Um...well. Vampires get bored. Very bored. So every couple of decades they get remarried...?"

"Remarried? Like...a wedding and everything?"

"Yeah. And the Denali Clan is on the list of guests. Bella said that they wanted to check with us if it was alright, because they don't want anymore kids to phase. It makes them feel guilty." Sam thought it over.

"If it's just for a day, I think we'll be fine. They can't stay longer than that, however. I'll admit, I was wrong about the Cullens. They're good people, but I don't want to risk anymore kids phasing. It's not fair." Jake smiled.

"They'll understand."

"So, when's the big day?"

"Leah tells me it's two days before yours and Emily's. Both of you are invited, and they thought that if the wedding was the day before yours it would be too much stress for Emily." Jake shrugged. "Paul, Jared and that lot are all invited. Leah's a bridesmaid." He snorted, almost laughing at the memory. "Apparently, I'm best man." Sam grinned.

"It's going to be interesting, then. I'll speak to Emily. It's very considerate of Rosalie and Emmett to think of us."

"Yeah. Well, it's just what the Cullens do, I guess."

"Yeah. Okay, that's all?"

"That's all from me."

"Then we're done." Both men stood, still smiling faintly. Jake caught sight of the muffins, and raised an eyebrow at Sam.

"Do you think Emily will mind if I take just one?"

"I'm sure she won't."

"Awesome." Grinning, Jacob picked one of the muffins. "I'll be seeing ya later then Sam. Call me when we're going to announce the rearrangements to the pack."

"I will, Jake. Bye."

"Bye." Sam walked with Jacob to the front door, and closed it behind him. _Well, _Jake thought as he made his way down the drive. _This time next month, I'll be Alpha of an entire pack of werewolves, Sam and Emily will be married, Rosalie and Emmett will...er....be married again I guess....and I'll have been a best man for a Vampire. _He shook his head.

_What is the world coming to?_

* * *

**Boo yah! Chapter 11 will hopefully be coming a lot lot sooner than this one did :L I actually have the start of Chapter 11 down on a piece of paper somewhere.....okay, so, I'm off on my quest to find a bagel! (even if it IS half ten at night lol :L) I'll see you guys later! :D Don't forget to R&R! xxxxxx**


	11. What I Wanted To Say

**Chapter Eleven is heree :] Sorry it took me so long to update, but things have been CRAZY! Me and alice-cullen1210 declared war on our physics teacher, I've got English coursework to do (eep!) and half a tonne of homework to take care of :/ BUT. The Easter Holidays are coming up soon, which means 2 weeks off, so I'll try my best to write like crazy for you guys! ^^ A HUGE thanks to all my reviewers! Your reviews from Chapter 10 were all soo lovely & you have all stuck with me despite my horrible updating schedule. I really wish I could somehow thank all of you individually but then this author's note would be too long :L Chapter 9 and 10 were shorter than the others, so I've tried to write more on this, but it seems that every chapter gets harder to write :/ Don't panic because I'm going to keep writing! I'm just going through a bad patch, I think :L**

**Okay, so. I'm babbling :L**

**Bear with me people, and I hope you enjoy this chapter :P**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"'Cause all I want you to say is something real,

And all I want you to know is how I feel,

All I want you to give is your heart,

But we're stuck here at the start."

Colbie Caillat - What I Wanted To Say.

* * *

"Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah Lee, I'm fine. Just tired." Leah let it go at that.

Jacob was sprawled on the grass next to her, arms behind his head and eyes shut, enjoying the weather. He'd reverted back to cut-offs for the day. The sun was shining even brighter than it had been for the past few weeks, making everything appear happy and the forest behind them come alive. The cool breeze had disappeared and been replaced with an unusual warmth. Even Leah herself found it hot, which was why she was only in a pair of dark denim shorts and a red bikini top. She stood on the cliff edge, wringing the excess water out of her hair from her last jump. As she grabbed a hairbrush from her bag and attempted to get her hair under control, Leah tried to study Jake carefully without actually making it look like she was looking at him. He seemed a little off. A couple of times she'd turned around and caught him watching her with a confused expression on his face, which only puzzled her more. He hadn't jumped yet either, even though it was his idea to come here in the first place.

In reality, they were both studying each other. Jake felt dazed by the amount of thinking he'd been doing lately: for the past few days he'd been constantly replaying the interrogation he underwent when Seth phased in on his thinking session – which he'd also been going over. Sam had said one simple thing, and now all of a sudden everything had changed. When Jacob looked at Leah now, he didn't see just Leah, he saw....well. He didn't know what he saw. He saw Leah, but....differently. He'd started seeing all these new, little things about her that he hadn't noticed before, and it was really messing with his head. Like how when she smiled her whole face lit up, or how she would try to pretend she was pissed at you for something but would always wink or laugh to let you know she was just joking. Or how her eyes were a certain shade of dark brown, like molten chocolate – _GAH! JAKE, SHUT UP!_

Jake wanted to slap himself. This wasn't the first time he'd caught himself thinking about her like that. Each time he grew more annoyed with his head, and with Sam Uley. _Why _couldn't Sam have just told Jake what he meant without being deliberately confusing? Jacob knew what he was trying to do – he wanted Jacob to know something, and had phrased it so that if Jake knew what Sam was on about he would understand. If he no idea what Sam was talking about, it wouldn't matter what he said. Only, it _did _matter. Jake _did _understand, but...._why _did Sam think that? There was Jake, and then there was Leah. That was it.

Well, unless you counted the times they hung out together, like now. Then it was "Jake and Leah." But it still wasn't anything like "_Jake and Leah_".......Jacob sighed. He wasn't making any sense at all. That wasn't going to help when he told Leah about Sam's decision to step down. They had agreed not to tell the other werewolves until Sam decided he wanted to, but Jake felt Leah should know. Besides, although he'd rather not admit it, he wanted to see what her reaction would be.

"Okay, Jake." Leah interrupted Jacob's thoughts, sitting down on the grass next to him. "You're not 'just tired'. What's up?" _Damn it._ Leah knew him too well. With another sigh Jake sat up.

"I went to see Sam the other day," he said, tugging at various blades of grass so he didn't have to look at his Beta.

"Right...." Leah raised an eyebrow. "What's Sam done to get you all worked up?"

"He was saying....well. He said he doesn't really spend much time with Emily anymore, because of pack stuff. So, he was kinda hoping that after their wedding we could....kind of put the packs together again." Jake looked up as soon as the last words left his mouth, carefully examining Leah's face for any reaction.

Leah simply looked at her Alpha. _Sam. Sam wants to put the packs back together. One pack. In a pack with Sam. Okay. Right. Okay._ "Who would be Alpha?" she asked after a few moments of awkward silence. "Because if I'm honest you're a better Alpha than Sam. And I really don't want to have to be controlled by him again. Nothing to do with the Sam and Emily thing. I'd just rather have you for a boss than him." Her brow furrowed. Follow Jake, with Sam? Sure. Follow Sam, even with Jake? No way. She had her limits. Jacob allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm going to be Alpha," he said. Leah nodded.

"Good. Well, guess I'm back to being 'one of the guys'. We really need some more pack positions y'know. What with Sam hogging Beta and all. Still, I bet Paul would find a way to snag that position....what are you laughing at?" She watched Jake with a look of confusion on her face. Jacob was chuckling away to himself, and it was slightly unsettling.

"Sam isn't going to be Beta, Lee. I told him I'd be Alpha, but that you would be Beta. Otherwise, I wasn't exactly planning on agreeing."

After a second, Leah grinned. _Jake wants me to be Beta? Above all the guys? Oooh, that's gotta hurt. _"Really?" she asked, just to be sure he wasn't joking. "You want me to stay Beta?" Jacob nodded.

"Of course. You're the best Beta we've got. The pack couldn't function without you." Leah's grin threatened to widen and she fought to keep it under control. She managed to turn it into a smile.

"Thanks, Jake."

"No problem." _There it goes again. Her face lighting up. Wow, even her eyes are sparkli – NO, JACOB. Nooooo no no no! BIG no no!_

"So....excited about Rose and Em's wedding?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I actually am." Leah laughed, a sound that made Jake feel.....weird.

"Me too. And the dresses Rosalie's ordered are amazing. We need to go over there sometime soon for the final fittings." She paused, hesitating. "Did you tell Sam that he and the others are invited?"

"Yeah, I told him. He said he'd speak to Emily about going. He'll probably tell the others when he tells them about stepping down."

"I hope they do come. Esme says the Denali are arriving early in the morning and leaving later that night. Emily and Esme would get on so well. They could cook together or something." Laughing, Jake got to his feet.

"I wonder what Sam would make of that," he said, brushing grass off his shorts. Leah stood up too, checking herself for mud.

"We're kind of breaking all the rules, aren't we?" She smiled slightly. "Being friends with vampires." Jacob shrugged, smiling.

"You know what they say. Rules are made to be broken." He held out his hand for her to take, feeling an odd, little rush at the contact. He mentally shook it off, scolding himself again.

He made a mental note to kick Sam Uley's ass if this weird.....thing....didn't stop soon. Pushing it to the back of his mind he stood on the edge of the cliff with Leah, her grip on his hand firm. "Okay, so, I'm actually gonna jump for once," he laughed.

"On the count of three?"

"One."

"Two."

"Three." They both jumped at exactly the same time. The wind rushed through Leah's hair, making her exhilarated laughter breathless and strangely muffled. She tightened her grasp on Jacob's hand as they fell, letting go only when they hit the water and she had to push herself back up to the surface to catch her breath. When she broke the surface Jake was still laughing, water dripping from his hair into his eyes.

"I forgot how much fun it was," he said, smiling broadly. Leah was about to open her mouth to reply, but a flutter in her stomach stopped her. _Okay....so....that was weird. What was that?! _Instead, she just smiled and pulled her hair back from her face. She'd be dry soon after she left the water, so at least she didn't have to worry about walking home soaking wet. They swam back to shore and made their way back up to the top of the cliff in silence. Jake was doing his best to repel strange thoughts about Leah. Leah was thinking about the flutter.

She looked at the horizon as she walked. The yellow and golden colours of the day had given way to orange and pink, which was now slowly blending with a strangely mysterious navy colour. _Why am I getting flutters now? Or maybe...maybe it was just a one-off? Like...passing indigestion? _She fervently hoped it was. Otherwise, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what could make her feel that quick yet intense little feeling.

* * *

**Soooo......Jake and Leah are starting to feel weird :D As usual, love it? Like it? Hate it? Review and let me know, because it's your reviews that help me keep the chapters coming even when I'm lacking inspiration ^^ Right, I'm off to do German homework. But just so you know, I completed my Epic Quest for a Bagel :D ****xx**


	12. Dreams Collide

**I'm back with a bit of a treat for you guys! :D It's only been three days since I last updated, but I came home from school and was in the writing mood, so I managed to get this chapter out ^^**

**Alice-Cullen1210 was nagging me to update so that I could read hers and she could read this, Lmao :L Thanks for all the reviews for Chapter 11 :] Can't say how grateful I am!**

**I have to go or Paisley will kill me, so...hope you enjoy! :P**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"I close my eyes,

And try to hide,

But wake when these dreams collide."

Colbie Caillat - Dreams Collide.

* * *

Outside Leah could hear the scurrying of tiny feet, undergrowth rustling as nocturnal creatures went about their usual business. It was a sound she heard almost every night. Sometimes, when she couldn't switch off, she'd simply lie there in the dark and listen to the soft noises, and they would soothe her to sleep.

But tonight, it wasn't working. Leah was lying on her side in bed, facing the window. She looked out at the stars in the sky, glowing brightly in the darkness. Leah loved the stars. She found a strange comfort in their beautiful mystery; she liked to believe that every blink and glimmer was a sign that her Dad was watching her. Was Harry proud of her? She was so much happier now. Surely he was glad that she had found happiness again.

Leah sighed for at least the tenth time in an hour. She turned over onto her other side, closing her eyes. She couldn't sleep at all. Couldn't switch off. Her head was too crowded with confusing thoughts that she needed to sift through. It was the flutter that was driving her crazy. That insane somersault her stomach had done yesterday for no apparent reason. Even with her eyes closed she kept replaying the moment over and over again, partially unwillingly, trying to figure out what had caused it and why. Not something she really wanted to be doing in the middle of the night, when she had the pack meeting tomorrow.

Sam had called Jake and told him to get the packs together, to break the news to them that Sam was stepping down after his wedding. _I wonder how they're going to take it. _She pressed her face into her pillow, getting frustrated with the absence of sleep. _Paul won't be too happy having Jake for an Alpha. Seth will probably become even more of an obsessive fan. _Seth idolized Jacob, which Leah often liked to tease him about. She could understand part of the reason why Seth admired him that much, but seriously. There was a line between "admiring" and "stalking." With a quiet laugh Leah rolled onto her back, messy hair framing her face. She pressed her hands to her face. _Argh, it's still there!_

It wasn't just the flutter that was bothering her. It wasn't just the pack stuff either. It was the ache in her chest. It hadn't been there all of yesterday while she was cliff diving with Jake. It had started that night, faint at first but growing stronger over the course of the following day. Now it was constantly present, seeming to press against her heart. Leah didn't know what to do about it. She considered phasing – running always helped her clear her head.

But then she remembered that Jake was on patrol, so she wouldn't get much peace and quiet. She knew the ached was there because she missed something, or someone, and the best idea she could come up with was that she was missing her Dad. No doubt Jake would suggest the same thing, so what was the point in speaking to him about it? If it was still there by the end of the pack meeting, then she would somehow bring it up. If not, then no one needed to know. Jacob, Leah supposed, was her best friend. He was definitely her closest friend, and she knew she could tell him anything. He'd saved her, after all. She was broken, and he was fixing her. She owed him so much for making her smile again.

Leah could understand why Seth worshipped Jake so much. He was a strong Alpha, loyal friend and a good son to Billy. Jake was kind, and had been the only one who had listened to Leah when she decided she wanted to change. She would never forget everything he'd done for her. Even with patrols and pack business and meeting with the Cullens, and erasing Bella from his heart and spending time with Billy and Rachel, _and _going out with the guys and hanging out in his garage fixing cars, Jake still tried to make time for her.

It was hard to see why Bella had stuck with Edward. But it wasn't as hard to see why all the girls in the Rez chased after Leah's Alpha, although they had no idea that he turned into a giant wolf in his spare time. At 6ft 8, Jacob was the tallest of all the werewolves - shapeshifters, whatever you want to call them. He was definitely the strongest, and _almost _the fastest. Leah prided herself on being able to outrun Jacob Black. He had a gorgeous russet skin tone just a shade darker than Leah's, and dark brown eyes that you could drown in –

_GAH!_ Leah sat bolt upright, eyes wide. Another flutter. _Another freakin' flutter!_ But why!? She'd only been thinking of Jake. She did that all the time, and hadn't gotten a flutter before.......And then Leah realised. She hadn't ever really, _really _thought about Jake before. Not like that. _But....but....I got a flutter! What does that mean?! _She shook her head in confusion. The first time she'd got a flutter she hadn't been thinking about Jacob.......but he had smiled at her. Oh no.

Did.....did this mean what she think it did? With a groan Leah flopped back down onto her bed and pulled her pillow over her face. _No no no! This can't be happening! _Jake was her friend! He was her Alpha! He was helping her get better! She wasn't meant to get _flutters_. _But, _she couldn't help wondering, _does that mean the flutters and the ache are connected? _The ache had started after Jake left her house yesterday evening. So....that ache in her chest, the frustrating insomnia, the flutters, the weight on her heart, the smile brought to her face whenever he was there.....it was all because of Jake? Because she missed him? Because she....._liked him?_ No.

No, that couldn't be it. No way. Leah groaned again in annoyance. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She wasn't mean to get _feelings _from her and Jacob's friendship. He was meant to help her change, she was meant to help him rid his heart of Bella and that was it. End of story. There was nothing else to it. These "feelings" weren't meant to exist. They weren't meant to come into it.

God, she always found some way to mess it up! Leah bit her lip and sighed. The scurrying noises were still there in the background. The animals carried on with their business, oblivious to her inner turmoil.

This shouldn't be happening. _Couldn't _be happening. But it was. She had the ache and the flutters for proof.

As Leah lay there in the dark of her room, listening to the forest noises once more, her mind rushed. Out of all the feelings, the revelations, the confusion, of one thing she was absolutely sure:

Jacob could never know.

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**What do you think? :] Let me know! R&R and I will love you! xx**


	13. Half Of My Heart

**Omg, sorry it's been so long! I wanted to update sooner, but I just ran out of inspiration and then I got a cold and then it was Easter and.....yeah. Happy Easter btw! Hope you all had a good one :] Also everyone say hi to Paisley, who's trying to get onto fanfiction from her hotel in Cuba (Y)**

**Soo....I managed to get this chapter out. I was meant to be going out with my mates today,, but then it was all kinda gloomy [the sun just _disappeared!_] so I decided to stay home and try and write some more of this fanfic. I have it all planned out up to chapter 25, it's just the writing part that's a problem, aha :L But don't worry, because I WILL finish Sweet Escape.**

**Thanks to all the reviewers from Chapter 12, and everyone who kept checking back to see if I'd updated :D I love you all!**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter, because I'm off to write Chapter 14 now :P**

**AND, don't forget to look at my Poll! "Would you prefer to listen to the songs that inspired each chapter of Sweet Escape while reading the fanfiction, or not?"**

**Kinda random but....ah well :]**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"Half of my heart's got a grip on the situation,

Half of my heart takes time,

Half of my heart's got a right mind to tell you that I can't keep loving you,

With half of my heart."

John Mayer ft. Taylor Swift - Half Of My Heart.

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"Are you sure you want to do this today, Sam?" asked Jacob tiredly. He was standing the middle of a clearing with his ex-Alpha, waiting for the rest of the wolves to show up. They all knew to go there at midday for a "pack meeting", and it was almost 12 o'clock now. _If it weren't for this bloody meeting, I'd still be in bed._ Jake shook his head to try and get all images of beds and soft pillows out of his mind. He'd been up all night patrolling alone – thankful for the peace and quiet – and normally that wouldn't have worn him out, but he hadn't slept for a couple of days and his mind had been relentlessly attacking him with questions he didn't have the answers to. Jake had eventually decided that if Leah found out the weird....."feelings"....he was getting for her, she'd kill him, and he really didn't want that. So he wasn't going to say anything. Even if his heart went on another crazy mission to escape his chest when she smiled.

"Yeah, Jake, I'm sure. They need telling." Jacob nodded, choosing not to add that thanks to him, Leah already knew. "But, honestly, how did Leah take it?"

"She – uh. Oh. Sorry, Sam...." Jake mumbled, scratching the back of his head and smiling sheepishly. Sam smiled.

"Don't worry, I figured you'd tell her first. I was kind of counting on it actually." Jake chuckled.

"Well, no need to worry. She took it pretty well. I don't think she minds as long as I'm Alpha. No offence, man." Sam smiled again, pleased with Jacob's answer.

"None taken. I'm glad she didn't get upset." Nodding, Jacob remained silent.

Suddenly, there was a faint rustle from the treeline. Their sensitive hearing could even pick up the scurrying of little feet as the forest animals got out of the way of the approaching werewolves. Two large wolves emerged from the trees, one silver, one chocolate-brown. Quil. _Leah._ Jake's heart tugged. _This is gonna be harder than I thought._ He tried to give himself a silent pep talk, convince himself that he could do this. He could beat these weird feelings. No more tugs, no aches, no painful urges to reach out and tuck her hair behind her ear. He'd be fine again. The wolves went their separate ways to phase in the cover of the trees. "Alright guys?" Quil asked when he came back into the clearing a few moments later. "Embry and Seth are coming, and Paul's almost here." Sam said something in reply that made Quil laugh, but Jake wasn't paying attention. He was busy watching Leah as she came out of the trees. She was wearing black mini shorts and a blue T-Shirt with the faces of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the front. Her black converses were unlaced and as she walked over she was tying up her hair. It was getting long again, and her bangs never stayed in the ponytail. Instead they preferred to hang in her eyes and piss her off.

_Casual but pretty. _Jacob smiled, oblivious to his own thoughts as she met his gaze and smiled back. "Hey Jake," she said. "Hey, Sam."

"Hey," Jake replied. He was stunned he could speak anymore, with how close she was standing next to him.

"Hi, Leah," said Sam. "Jake tells me you already know?" Leah nodded, actually managing a smile. The smile got bigger when she realised that talking to him brought her heart no pain.

"Yeah," she said. "I think it's good. That we're getting organised, I mean. Be careful later though – from what Mom tells me Emily's going to try and get you to help with planning the wedding when she next corners you." Sam laughed.

"Don't worry, I'll watch my back for napkin samples. Bless her. Thanks for the warning."

"Anytime."

Quil watched this exchange with a combination of shock and confusion on his face. Sam Uley and Leah Clearwater being civil to each other? He stared at them for a second, concluded he'd been sucked into a parallel dimension, shook his head and listened out for sounds of Paul approaching. Jacob, meanwhile, grinned at his Beta and ex-Alpha. He was proud of Leah. Really, really proud. As for Sam, well...he wasn't such a bad guy. He'd been right about Jake getting the weird feelings – which was kinda creepy, because it was the last thing in the world Jacob had ever expected to happen – but at least he hadn't stuck his oar in and tried to interfere. "So, Lee," he began. "You watching the game Saturday night?" His favourite team were playing her favourite team, and this match was a big deal. Leah rolled her eyes.

"I was gonna, but Mom's going on a clean-athon and said she's moving the living room round to vacuum properly." _Fate, I love you!_

"Me and Dad are going to Charlie's to watch it," he said. "You can come if you want." He raised an eyebrow and grinned playfully. "Or do you already know your team is gonna lose and don't want to admit that my team are better?"

"Pfft! Your team SUCK, Jake!" Leah laughed. "We're going to kick your ass on Saturday. Sure, I'll come – why would I want to miss the look on your face when you lose?"

Before a play fight could start between the two – which, Quil decided, would cause him to start looking for the portal back to the right universe – Paul, Seth and Embry came out of the forest in human form. A couple of minutes later Colin and Brady showed up with Jared in tow, and the packs were complete. "Right," said Sam. "Jake, Leah, let's get this sorted."

"If you haven't already heard, Rosalie and Emmett Cullen are getting married," he began, his voice confident.

"I thought they were already married?" asked Colin.

"Vampires get bored a lot, so they renew their vows every couple of decades," Leah explained. She was excited just thinking about the wedding. She couldn't wait to see if all the planning she'd done with Rose, Alice, Bella and Esme would pay off.

"The point is, they're getting married." Sam swept his gaze over the werewolves, wondering what their reactions would be. "Their wedding is going to be small, from what Leah knows. Some friends of theirs are coming, but only for a day. The Cullens don't want any more kids to phase. We're all invited, by the way." Paul snorted and Jared raised his eyebrows, but otherwise the group remained silent. "Anyway, Alice – that's the little Cullen – had a vision of some vamps coming here. Apparently they're not hostile, but I don't like being unprepared. So we're going to put the packs back together."

"Who's going to be Alpha?" asked Embry, eyes flitting from one Alpha to the other.

"That's the other thing we wanted to talk to you guys about."

Sam cleared his throat. "Obviously, me and Emily are getting married soon. And it's not fair for me to keep dashing off and leaving my wife like that. I want to spend more time with her. So Jacob has agreed to be Alpha." He'd expected uproar, but all Sam Uley got was deadly silence. He didn't know what was better. After what seemed like a century Jared nodded.

"Sure. It's a good idea," he said. Jake was taken aback. He'd been expecting Paul and Jared to have issues with Sam stepping down. Colin and Brady nodded too. Seth grinned.

"Awesome," said Embry and Quil in unison. Only Paul was left, arms folded across his chest. His expression was unreadable. When everyone turned to look at him expectantly he sighed.

"Fine. Cool."

Leah glanced at Jake with her eyebrows raised in surprise. She'd thought Paul would at least try and cause some trouble, but......obviously not. Sam was surprised as well, but tried not to let it show. Instead he smiled and looked at Jacob and Leah. "Then it's settled. After mine and Emily's wedding I'll be stepping down and we'll combine the packs. Jacob will be Alpha."

"What about Beta?" asked Seth, looking from Leah to Jared to Paul.

"Leah's going to be Beta." Paul's look darkened at Sam's words.

"Whose idea was that?" he grumbled. Jake frowned, which felt kind of odd because all he really wanted to do was smile at the minute.

"Mine," he said. "And it's the way it's gonna be." He didn't have to speak the silent "_Deal with it."_

Paul didn't say anything. Just rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to the trees. Probably, Jake thought, wishing he could just escape home to Rachel and bitch about the new pack alterations. "Well, if that's all anyone has to say....." Sam's voice trailed off for a couple of seconds. He didn't want any fights breaking out. He already knew he was going to have to tell his pack not to give Jake any shit when he took over. Jacob may be young, but he was a good Alpha. "Then this meeting's over."

"Embry, Quil, you coming back to mine?" asked Seth. "I got the new Halo game yesterday."

"We're already there!" the two of them called back as they ran off into the trees to phase. Seth laughed and ran after them. Jared turned and walked away, dragging Paul with him. Colin and Brady left, and then it was just Sam, Leah and Jake.

"Well, we did it!" said Leah, high-fiving her Alpha. Sam looked at Jake, who was smiling, and then at Leah, who was also grinning.

He shook his head, unable to keep a smile from his face, and walked away.

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**I love you just for reading it, but I'll love you more if you review! :D xx**


	14. Reaching

**I'm back! :D I think I took more than one week...I'm sorry! I've just been so busy, and things will be SO crazy when I get back to school because I missed the last week of term (throat and ear infection, ugh. Never again, I hope). And then it was so so so late, and I was really tired, but I felt bad for not getting this chapter up so I forced myself to stay awake to finish it (thank god for the inspiration of Secondhand Serenade! Although....nothing in this chapter has anything to do with Secondhand Serenade :L Lol).**

**Anywho, I'll get started on Chapter 15 as soon as I can. Thanks to everyone who reviewed :] I REALLY need to go to bed, so I won't blabber on :L**

**I hope you all like this chapter, and don't forget to check out my poll! It's on my profile :] I'm counting on you guys to help me decide!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, or The Lord Of The Rings.**

* * *

"You're inches from my fingertips,

I've come as close as I can get,

I'm reaching but the rest is up to you."

Jason Reeves - Reaching.

* * *

Leah was appalled with herself. "It's just a game," she told herself for the fifth time that evening. "At Charlie Swan's house. Jake will be there. We are friends. Simple." It didn't work. It hadn't worked any of the other times, either. Which was why she was currently standing in front of her wardrobe in nothing but a black vest and matching girl's boxers. She was only going over to Charlie's to watch TV, but for some crazy reason she wanted to look her best. Deep down, she did know the reason why. She just didn't want to admit it. _Ugh. What's happening to me?_

Leah sighed and grabbed the nearest pair of denim shorts. She chose a dark blue camisole to go with the shorts and then forced herself to shut the wardrobe doors. Leah got dressed and spent the next half an hour doing her hair and makeup. Then she stared at her reflection in the mirror and wondered what the hell was wrong with her. Billy and Charlie were going to be there too, after all. It was nothing special.

She shook her head in disbelief at her obvious insanity – then carefully brushed her hair back into place – and left her bedroom. "Mom, I'm going out!" she called as she went downstairs. Sue was already cleaning the living room. "I'm going to Charlie's to watch a game with Billy and Jake!"

"Alright honey, but can you take something over for Charlie for me? There's a casserole on the side in the kitchen."

"'Kay, Mom." Leah backtracked and picked up the casserole from the kitchen counter. _Typical Mom, always cooking stuff for him._ "Bye!"

"Bye, Leah."

Leah tied the laces of her navy blue converse and grabbed her jacket, zipping it up as she walked out the front door. It was a half-hour walk from her house to Charlie's. But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. She could just drive there, but Leah needed to think things over.

She'd told herself that Jake wasn't to know about these "feelings." But then she'd seen him at the meeting and kind of forgotten and now she'd made plans with him.......which couldn't possibly end well because her self-control was already frazzled. Seriously, though, what was she thinking? Jake was her Alpha, and he was only 18. Okay, so, she was like...21. But...still.....Argh. She was running out of excuses, and that was a bad sign.

Nothing ever went right for her when it came to men, she knew that. If she let herself give her heart to someone again she would just get hurt a second time. Imprinting was meant to be 'rare'. Pfft. Tell that to the four guys who had already imprinted. Leah didn't want to put herself in a position for Imprinting to take it all away from her again. Sighing once more, she turned her gaze to the grey-blue sky overhead. Smokey clouds drifted lazily across the never-ending expanse of blue, and she wondered how long the good weather would hold up. The evening was warm and had a distinct summer-y feel to it; maybe it was the way the sun was setting slowly, casting a golden-orange light over everything. In Leah's eyes, the glow made La Push look welcoming and comforting. She smiled to herself. _Don't think about any of that now,_ she told herself. _There's no point stressing. Just enjoy the peace and quiet and sunshine._

So she did. Leah closed her eyes for brief periods as she walked, still finding her way perfectly, and simply concentrated on what she could hear and smell and the feel of the occasional cool breeze against her skin. The walk to Charlie's seemed to fly by after that, and it was with a fair amount of surprise that she found herself on his porch in the twilight. She smiled slightly again and raised a hand to knock on the door. But before she could actually knock the door was opened, and her heart involuntarily skipped a beat.

_Shit. _Jake answered the door instead of Charlie. She hadn't expected that at all. Oh, crap – she should have checked her hair and her mascara or something on her way over! All of a sudden her shorts seemed too short, the neckline of her camisole too low. God, she was glad she'd worn a jacket. The makeup was too much, wasn't it? Yeah. It was too much. Someone, for the love of all that's Holy, shoot her now. While she was mentally picking at herself and lowering her hand to tug at the hem of her jacket, Jacob took in her appearance with one sweeping glance.

_Wow._

Leah looked...nice. Well, better than nice if he was honest with himself. She looked absolutely gor – _No, no!_ Jake caught himself at the last minute. _Don't lose your resolve like last time you saw her Jake, man. _He still hoped he could somehow train his thoughts so that the weird feelings went away. They were driving him crazy. As in, I-Couldn't-Sleep-Last-Night-Because-Of-Some-Goddamned-Ache Crazy. This was the second night in a row. It was ridiculous.

There he'd been, lying in bed and minding his own business, having a little silent argument with himself over what shade of brown Leah's eyes exactly were – somewhere between chocolate and coffee brown, he'd eventually decided, with little flecks of autumn brown if you looked close enough – when the stupid ache had set in. And any chance of some shut-eye was gone. It was 3am when he'd finally fallen asleep, and then woken up two hours later with the ache almost doubled in strength. Maybe he was losing his mind. Yeah. That was it. He was crazy. Absolutely stark-raving bonkers. _At least now, if I kill Paul for making another reference to his and Rachel's sex life, I can plead insanity. Hm. Sounds like a plan._

"Hey, Lee," he said, coming back to Earth and smiling broadly. Leah couldn't help but smile back, feeling instantly at ease. Her smile caused Jake's heart to do backflips, and he cursed his own stupidity. _So much for not losing my resolve._

"Hey, Jake," she replied.

"You look really.....really nice." The words left Jake's mouth before he could stop them as he took another sweeping gaze of her appearance. When his eyes returned to her face he could have sworn he saw a faint hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"Thanks," Leah murmured, giving a small smile.

"Oh, erm...come in." Jacob stood back to let her into Charlie's house, fighting with his own heartbeat to keep it at a normal pace as Leah passed by him.

Leah was tempted to hold her breath as she stepped into the hallway and her shoulder brushed Jake's chest. She had to control her heart somehow, and at the moment it felt like it was trying to give itself a concussion on her ribcage. And Ohmigod, she'd blushed when he complimented her! _Blushed._ Leah Clearwater _never _blushed – not even the new one. She hated it when people could tell that she was embarrassed. Sure, she wasn't nervous anymore thanks to Jake's incredible smile, but still –

_Oh, mother of God, did I just think his smile was incredible? Ugh. I'm in way over my head. I'll lose my mind if this carries on. Unless I've already lost it. Hm. Maybe. Mom might've dropped me on my head. That would explain it. And she obviously must have dropped Seth more than once......and....I'm talking to myself. Awesome. I'm standing here next to my _very _good-looking Alpha and all I can do is have a silent conversation. Wow. Why don't I just go run around the yard in my underwear while Jake calls the asylum?_

"From the smell of it, Sue's been doing some more of her fantastic cooking." Billy's sudden appearance in the doorway to the living room startled Leah out of her weird conversation with herself, and distracted Jake from the war he was holding with his hand. It was unbelievably tempted to reach out and take her hand to draw her to him. But he was resisting. Barely.

"Yeah," said Leah, smiling, holding up the casserole she'd tucked safely under her arm. She had to hold back a sigh of relief, she was so grateful for the distraction. "She made a casserole for Charlie." Right on cue, Charlie appeared in the doorway next to Billy. He grinned.

"I love her casseroles," he said. _Oh, God...I will never get used to the way Charlie thinks about my Mom. _"Can you put it in the kitchen for me Leah?"

"Sure, Charlie."

"Thanks. And we've ordered pizza, so keep an eye out for the delivery guy, Jake." Jake nodded obediently.

With that Charlie and Billy disappeared back into the living room, leaving the Alpha and Beta on their own once more. "So," began Leah after a few seconds of silence. "You alright then, Jake?" She headed into the kitchen, Jake shuffling along behind her.

"Yeah, I guess," he half-lied. If you cut out all the weird crap and unexplainable aches and sleepless nights, then....yeah. He was alright. "You?" Leah couldn't help but think of the other night, when she'd lain awake and finally realised what the cause of the ache was.

"I'm good, thanks." Then: "Stressing a little," she added. "But good."

"What's got you stressed?" Jake's voice came out more concerned than he intended it to. He cleared his throat quietly, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Shrugging, Leah placed the casserole dish on the side and turned around, leaning with her arms folded against the kitchen counter.

"I've been meaning to go see Emily," she said quietly. "There's...some stuff I need to talk to her about. And I need to see if she's coming to Rose and Emmett's wedding......just....loads of stuff." Leah sighed and ran a hand through her hair, brow furrowing slightly. "I need to tell her that I forgive her. Y'know, for the Sam thing. I need to tell her I'm a new person. I just don't know if she'll believe me."

Jacob just stood there and looked at her with a sad half-smile on his face. He wanted to help, wanted to say something to make her feel better; but he was fighting the urge to reach out and smooth out the light crease in her forehead, to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. _Not good, man. This is not good progress. _Almost without realizing it he slowly inched closer to her, too preoccupied with more "weird feelings" to notice what he was doing. Leah was busy fixing the floor with a confused stare as a million words and phrases ran through her head, none of which seemed like they would help her with Emily. "So Sam is history then?" She looked up at the sound of his voice coming from so close by, finding him standing right next to her, smiling. She automatically smiled back.

"Sam? Who's Sam?" Jake laughed and hugged her without another thought. Her arms went round his waist, head resting on his chest, inhaling his wonderful forest-y scent. "What about Bella?" she murmured, not wanting to ruin the moment but too curious not to ask. Jacob smiled slightly to himself.

"Bella? I don't know any Bellas," he mumbled in answer. He closed his eyes and tried to figure out what her shampoo smelled like. He knew he'd spend the better half of his night trying to work it out now, but at the minute he didn't care. For the few moments of silence that followed, Jake actually found himself considering letting the "weird feelings" take control. God knew what Leah would do. Most likely try to castrate him. But right now, he felt....different. Strange. Argh, what was the word? Great, now he'd be up all night trying to work _that _out too.

"Y'know, you're actually kinda small," said Jake, deciding that a change of topic was in order. He tightened his arms around her for effect. "You should be a hobbit." Leah laughed, the movement making the parts of his chest and stomach she was pressed against tingle.

"I'm only so small because you're such a bloody giant," she retaliated. "What are you, Sauron?"

"...A giant eye in the sky?"

"Key word: 'giant'. _And _he picks on hobbits. And you love teasing me about stuff. It's a perfect match."

"Sauron? Seriously?" asked Jacob, chuckling.

"Well, you could be Smeagel if you wanted."

"Nice. Does that mean I get to call that casserole my 'Precious'?" Both of them were laughing when a quiet squeak made them look up, still in each other's arms. They only heard it because of their wolf hearing, but when they saw what it was, they went silent.

In the doorway sat Billy, staring at them wide-eyed. He continued staring for a couple more seconds before wheeling himself to the fridge, getting two beers, and then returning to the doorway. He gave them both one more worried look over his shoulder, then disappeared into the corridor.

"I think we scared him," Leah said quietly.

"Probably," Jake replied, holding back laughter. "He has a hobbit and a Smeagel-Sauron-Thing in his kitchen." Leah smiled contentedly, unable to stop herself.

"Aren't you meant to be looking out for the delivery guy?" Jake cocked his head to the side, eying the casserole.

"Well, I know we're meant to be having pizza, but....do you think Charlie would let me take home some of the Precious over there?"

The both of them laughed, and unknowingly tightened their hold on one another.

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**Okay, so I just sat and read through it again for mistakes :L Sorry if there's any more left in there. Right, I'm off to bed. Hopefully I'll have a review to wake up to ;] Nunight xx**


	15. Begin Again

**Chapter Fifteen has arrived! 3 days since I last updated, aren't you guys lucky ;] Lol :] Once again it's kinda late, but I wanted to get this up tonight (the things I do for you :L ) :D. I have three days until I go back to school and I'm seriously stressing :/ But who knows, maybe another chapter will be up before then? :] And I'm pleased to report that Paisley's finally home :D Hooray!**

**Keep those reviews coming people! All the ones for last chapter were great, and made me smile :D Every time I get a review, it makes me want to write the next chapter :P Um..not sure what else to write. Uh...well, I guess this chapter had to be written, to finalise some things :] Sorry if you find it boring, but I tried :L**

**Hope you like it :]**

**Em xx**

* * *

"Oh, this is not the way that it should end,

It's the way it should begin,

It's the way it should begin again."

Colbie Caillat - Begin Again.

* * *

Leah didn't sleep properly until 4am. She got home from Charlie's at 11 o'clock – Jake had driven her home, and the close proximity in the Rabbit almost killed her – with the intention of watching TV, but Sue hadn't put all the furniture back yet. So, instead, she'd gone to bed. She'd got about an hour of sleep before a dream reliving her and Jake's Lord Of The Rings conversation had woken up. Cursing at the flutter and ache that were attacking her, she tossed and turned for the rest of the night until she finally fell asleep again at 4.

So you could probably understand why she was ignoring Seth knocking on her door an hour later. Leah was dozing with her duvet over her head while Seth spoke to her through the door. "Lee? Leah! You gotta get up!" Leah groaned.

"Seth, go away!" she mumbled, knowing he'd still hear her.

"Come onnnnn, lazy bones."

"No......why do I have to get up at five? Did Quil bail on his patrol or something?"

"Five..? Leah, what planet are you on? Try taking the sheet off your head and looking at the clock." Grumbling, Leah pulled the duvet off her head. The first thing she saw was the raindrops on her window. Damn it. Looks like she'd spoken too soon about the weather. _Sorry shorts, we had a nice run._ The second thing she saw was the time on her alarm clock. _Five o'clock my ass!_ The clock told her it was actually half ten, and for some reason this set alarm bells off in her head. Half ten....what was she supposed to be doing at half ten?

"Oh, shit!" _JAKE._ He'd agreed to go see Emily with her today, so unless he was late he'd be picking her up round about...now? _Okay, I can get ready in 50 seconds. Yeah. Sure._

Leah had just pushed the covers off and stood up when Seth spoke again. "Jake's here, so hurry your ass up." Like someone had thrown a switch inside her head, Leah went into panic mode.

"Jeans, jeans..." she muttered to herself as she dashed around her room. She heard Seth going back downstairs. _Okay, so, with Seth talking to him that buys me another 30 seconds. Ohhhh my God. _Leah hastily threw on a pair of skinny jeans, a blue T-Shirt and her black "Come to the dark side" hoodie. Slipping her black converse on, she dragged a brush through her hair and grumbled profanities to herself. She didn't bother with makeup, simply dashed out of the room as quickly as she could. Oh well. The natural look suited her either way. As she went downstairs she slowed her pace so she didn't look too eager.

Leah found Jacob and Seth in the kitchen, talking about Sam and Emily's upcoming wedding. "Finally," said Seth as Leah entered the room, munching the last spoonful of his bowl of cornflakes. Leah rolled her eyes.

"I just got ready in less than five minutes, you should be proud," she said with a smile. "Hey, Jake."

"Hey, Lee," Jake replied, smiling back. He was dressed in dark jeans and a black shirt, with his favourite black hoodie zipped halfway up, and Leah didn't know how long she could stop herself from staring. How did he manage to look so good so simply? She made herself a sandwich as quickly as she could, said goodbye to her brother and ate it on her way out of the door. "Someone's in a rush," said Jake as he shut the front door behind them and then opened the passenger door of the Rabbit for her.

"I just want to get this over and done with," answered Leah, climbing in the car. Jacob got in the driver's seat and started the car, pulling away from the Clearwaters' house. "Ugh, I'm so tired." Leah stifled a yawn. "I couldn't sleep at all last night."

"Me either." Jake decided to leave out the reason why, because last night was night three in a row that he'd barely had any sleep.

They drove in silence for the first couple of minutes, Leah mourning the loss of the sunshine, before Jake spoke again. "Have you thought about what you're going to say to her?" Leah sighed, staring out of the window.

"Kinda," she said. "It's not gonna be easy though." Jake smiled at her.

"You'll figure it out, Lee. You always do." Leah fought off another blush.

"Thanks." Jake pulled up outside Sam and Emily's house.

"Will you be okay going in there?" he asked.

"Uh...." Leah bit her lip, unsure. "I think I could use some backup, just in case."

"Sure." They both got out of the car and jogged to the porch. The rain hadn't let up at all during their drive over here – if anything, it had gotten worse. It came down in huge, icy droplets and by the time she got under cover Leah was half-soaked. At least they'd both be dry again within five minutes. Leah knocked on the front door and after a few moments heard Emily call to them to come in.

As they were taking their jackets off Embry's head peered through the doorway to the living room. "Hey guys," he said.

"Hey, Embry," Leah replied. "No Sam?" Embry shook his head.

"Nah. He's out talking to Paul and Jared about something. Probably telling them to behave themselves when Jake becomes Alpha. Emily's in the kitchen."

"Thanks." She looked up at Jake, feeling another damned flutter in her chest. "I'll be as quick as I can." Jacob shrugged and gave a dismissive wave of his hand.

"No rush," he said. "I'll just hang with Embry while you're talking." Embry grinned.

"Me and Quil are watching this awesome movie on TV Jake, you gotta see it."

"I'm coming." Jake reached for Leah's hand and gave it a small, reassuring squeeze. The contact sent sparks up Leah's arm, and she tried not to let it show. He smiled then followed Embry into the living room, leaving Leah to take a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself.

"Okay," she mumbled under her breath. "Here goes nothing." She walked along the corridor until she came to the door that led to the kitchen, finding it ajar. The clattering of pots and pans could be heard from within; sounded like Emily was cookingagain. _How does she not get sick of it?_

Leah pushed the door open and edged inside, closing it behind them. She knew it wouldn't do much good against the three wolves with super-improved hearing next door, but it at least made it feel a little more private. "Emily?" Her cousin turned round, a cake tin in her hand. She stared at Leah for a few seconds in disbelief, as if wondering if she was actually there.

"Leah?" Leah gave a weak smile.

"Hey, Em. Uh....are you busy? I need to...uh....talk to you. About stuff."

"Um..." Emily looked at the cake tin and the mixing bowl on the side. "Sure. Just let me get this in the oven and then we can talk."

"Thanks, Em." Leah took a seat at the kitchen table, laying her jacket over the back of her chair. _What the Hell am I gonna say? How is she going to believe me?_ She resisted the urge to run a hand through her hair in frustration, a small frown forming on her face. Everything Leah had to say was going to look like a complete 180 to Emily. How could she be sure that her cousin would take her seriously? _And how am I supposed to start the conversation? "Oh, by the way Emily, I'm not a bitch anymore and before I forget, you can have Sam because I have this thing for Jacob, see? Now, are you gonna come to this Vampire wedding?" I really was a bitter harpy for too long._

"Leah?" Emily's questioning tone broke through Leah's thoughts, bringing her back to the present.

"Huh?" Her cousin raised an eyebrow, and it was then that Leah saw the kettle in Emily's hand.

"I asked you if you wanted a coffee?"

"Oh. Uh...yeah, please. A coffee would be nice." _Feels like an eternity since I last had one._ While the kettle boiled the two ex-best friends were silent. Leah couldn't decide if the silence was comfortable or awkward. She let her mind wander to her newfound inability to sleep instead. How long was it going to go on? Was she going to have the flutters and the aches forever? That would totally ruin her hopes that they would go away on their own. The crazy thing was.....they were getting stronger. And she was sure she was losing her mind, because in a sane world she wouldn't even be crushing on Jacob Black, let alone....whatever this was. She didn't want to think about it. Some part of her knew it was more than just a crush, but the rest of her didn't want to look any deeper into it to find out what it actually was. Because....well, Leah Clearwater was scared of what it might be. She was healed, thanks to Jake. Sure, maybe her heart had a couple of scars, but nothing that wouldn't fade given a little more time. But she'd be damned if she let another man leave her because of Imprinting. _Why am I even thinking like this?! Because Jake really _is _suffering the way I am. He could never get these feelings for me. I may be crazy, but the rest of the world isn't. Much._

She almost jumped as her inner ranting was interrupted again by Emily setting down a mug of coffee in front of her. "Thanks," she mumbled as Emily took a seat opposite her.

"Okay then, Lee. What did you want to talk to me about?" Leah simply looked at her for a minute, then turned her gaze downwards to the contents of the coffee mug her hands had automatically wrapped around.

"Uh...there's....there's loads of stuff, really." She took a deep breath. "Have you thought about the wedding?" When Emily looked confused, she added, "Rosalie and Emmett's wedding, I mean." Her cousin gave a little frown.

"I don't know, Leah. I mean, I don't know them very well. And...they're vampires. Aren't they supposed to be our enemies or something?"

"Listen, Em, there's no nicer people out there than the Cullens. Honestly. I mean, Emmett always pranks me and Alice will jump at any opportunity to take you shopping, but....they're great." Leah paused. "They want me to be bridesmaid, and Jake's best man. Seth's an usher. They really mean us no harm or anything. Me and Jake are over there a lot and we haven't been in danger once. They're totally safe." She gave Emily a small smile. "I can't force you to come, but Rose made sure that the date is two days before yours. So that if you come it won't be stressful for you, y'know, getting married the day after." Surprised, Emily stared at Leah for a few seconds.

"They did that?" she asked. Leah nodded, her smile widening.

"Yeah, they did. And you and Esme – that's the Mom – would get on so well. She loves cooking. The only time she gets to cook is for us, obviously, but...yeah. She loves it. The Denali are going to be there too, but don't worry. They're 'veggie' vamps as well. Just think about it, yeah? Call me later when you've decided. They won't be offended if you decline. They're kinda weird like that, actually." Emily smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I'll think about it. Anything else you wanted to talk about?" Leah took a sip of her coffee to buy herself a few more seconds. Better to get it all over and done with in one go.

"Yeah, actually," she answered, her tone becoming more serious. She sighed. This _really _wasn't going to be easy. "Em....lately....lately things have changed. I've changed. I'm back to my old self, how I used to be before....well, the 'Sam Thing'." She removed her hands briefly from the mug to do the inverted commas, then put them back. "I have Jake to thank for a lot of it, if I'm honest. He's been really great. But, the point is, I was a bitter harpy for too long. I was a bitch for way longer than I should have been. Maybe things can't go back to _exactly _the way they were before all this, but....I was horrible to you, Em. And I lost my best friend and my cousin because of that." Leah glanced up at Emily, who was watching her intently, and then back down at her coffee. "I want to put this behind us. I mean, we're young, we have practically our lives ahead of us, and...I sound like my Mom. But I want us to go back to the way things were. I don't love Sam anymore. He's yours now." Looking up, she smiled. "What happened, happened, and none of us can change it. But I want to be friends again Em. I know it might be hard to believe me, but I'm being honest."

Emily was silent for a full minute. It seemed to Leah like the longest minute of her life. Still, she waited as patiently as she could, drinking her coffee and hoping that everything would work out. When Emily finally spoke her voice sounded confused. "Leah, I..." She bit her lip, closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm so sorry for what happened. I can't see how you would ever want to speak to me again after what I did. Not when I still feel so guilty for it." Emily looked down, wrapping her hands around her coffee and staring into its depths, unable to meet Leah's gaze. Her engagement ring clinked against the side of the mug. Leah's smile faltered only a little before returning. Slowly, she reached out a hand and placed it on top of one of her cousin's. Emily looked up, guilt and regret written on her face. Leah smiled at her with an expression full of reassurance, and said something that she never thought she'd say.

"Emily, it's okay......I forgive you."

XXXXXXXXXX

In the living room, Jake sat on the sofa in silence with a smile forming on his lips. Quil and Embry were fighting over the remote, so they weren't paying much attention. But Jake had been, and had heard every word of Leah and Emily's conversation.

_So Leah thinks I'm great, huh?_

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**What do you think? :] Leave a review to let me know xx**


	16. Say

**Oh my god, it's been WAY TOO LONG! I'm soo sorry, but I've been ill lately and had exams and this chapter was really hard because I had like no inspiration and omggg....I'm just gonna shut up now! I'm SOO SORRY!**

**Hope you like this chapter, I'll try to get Chapter 17 up ASAP, I promise! Things are really starting to get interesting from here on in :D**

**Thanks to all you lovely reviewers (101 reviews, woohoo! :D) You have no idea how amazing you all are and how much it makes me smile to hear what you think :)!**

**Enjoy!**

**Em xx**

* * *

"Have no fear for givin' in,

Have no fear for givin' over,

You better know that in the end,

It's better to say too much,

Than to never say what you need to say again."

John Mayer - Say.

* * *

For the next two days Leah's emotions seemed to be at war with one another. She'd wake up too early each morning, tired and frustrated from lack of sleep. As she dressed she'd want to jump up and down with excitement about the upcoming weddings. While she practically skipped down the stairs a contented smile would plant itself on her face as she thought of her newly mended relationship with Emily. Something both women had thought would never happen. But by the time she reached the kitchen, Leah's smile would have been replaced by a small frown of worry. So small it was barely noticeable, but it was persistent, and the reasons behind it were also responsible for her being so tired.

The frown was in its usual place this morning as she sipped her coffee. She glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall, sighing. In just under an hour Jake would be picking her up, and then they'd head over to the Cullens' for the final suit and dress fittings. But she was worried. Really worried. The flutters weren't going away. The aches refused to budge. Just the presence of her Alpha was enough to make her grin like a lunatic. Although she didn't like to admit it, Leah Clearwater was scared. She was scared that she was....God forbid....starting to...no. No, she couldn't even think about it. It just made it seem all the more plausible.

Leah set down her empty coffee mug in the sink and trudged upstairs to wake her brother. Seth would be coming with them, but that didn't do much to put her at ease. Being around Jacob was getting harder. It was only a matter of time before Edward cottoned on, and then she was screwed. Judging from the smug smiles he kept giving the Alpha and Beta whenever he saw them together, he was already starting to get suspicious. _Great. Just great_. Leah knew she'd slip up sooner or later. Just a small thought of Jake would be enough. The tiniest change in the pace of her heartbeat. "Seth!" Leah called through her brother's bedroom door. "Get up!" There was a muffled groan of complaint from inside. "Don't make me call Beta command on your sorry ass!"

"Okay, okay! I'm up, I'm up!" Rolling her eyes, Leah turned on her heel and started back downstairs.

Needing a distraction to keep her mind from wandering to Jake, Leah made herself another cup of coffee and busied herself with working out how much sleep she'd gotten since the ache started. The answer? Not enough. But then thinking about that led her to trying to work out how bad her feelings for Jake were getting, and she cursed her heart silently.

Jake arrived right on time, as usual. Leah didn't know whether to be happy or curse – part of her wished he'd been a bit late so she would have had more time to get her thoughts together. Another, larger part was extremely glad he'd turned into Mr. Punctuality lately. Seth chattered about random things from the backseat, really random things. Once or twice Leah looked in the rear-view mirror and caught Seth staring at either her or Jake. _God, is it that obvious? _Had he noticed something? Did he suspect...? _No, no, calm down. Seth doesn't suspect anything. To him there is you, and then there is Jake. There's no "and"._ After about three of these little pep-talks Leah was beginning to think it was all too much. Just as she was considering throwing herself from the car to escape the temptation to look at Jacob they pulled up outside the Cullens' house, and she tried to switch her thoughts to something different. Hopefully Edward hadn't been paying attention.

_That _idea went out the window as soon as Edward answered the front door with a smug, knowing smile on his face. _So help me Edward, if you say anything to the others then I. Will. Hurt. You. _He just chuckled quietly as he stood back to let them in. No sooner had they set foot inside than there was a blur, a little squeal of excitement and Leah found herself under attack from a pixie-sized Vampire. "Leah!" Alice yelled. "Jake! Seth!"

"Hey, Alice," said Seth. Jake smiled and said hi.

"It's okay, you can calm down," Leah said as she tried to unwind Alice from her neck. _Edward? A little help here? _But then, quick as a flash, Alice was twirling in a circle by the foot of the stairs.

"But Leah, I _can't_, I'm so _excited_!" She clapped her hands together and started jumping up and down. "Oh my God, the dresses are so gorgeous – come on, you have to see!" Before Leah could blink she was being dragged up the stairs, Alice's grip on her wrist surprisingly firm. "Edward, sort Jake and Seth, yeah?"

"Seth, if I live, tell Mom I loved her!" The last thing Leah saw of downstairs was Jacob and Seth trying to hide their laughter. "Make sure you torture them later," she said to Alice. Grinning, Alice nodded.

"Oh, don't worry, I will!"

When she was pushed into Rosalie and Emmett's room Leah found Bella and Esme waiting with Rosalie. "Hi guys," she said, letting Alice manoeuvre her to sit at Rose's dressing table. Rosalie was practically beaming at her when she looked at the other women in the mirror.

"I'm so pleased with the dresses!" Rosalie gushed. "Yours is going to look so amazing Leah!"

"What about yours?" Leah asked, looking at each woman in turn. "Aren't you guys trying yours on?" Shrugging, Alice appeared suddenly at Leah's side with a large case in her hand.

"We'll try ours on later," she said. "We just really want to see how you look all done-up!" Leah rolled her eyes, thinking of a thousand smart comebacks and arguments, but knowing better than to deny Alice the chance to give someone a makeover. If she didn't get to put mascara on someone soon then Emmett or Carlisle were likely to wake up wondering where the Hell the lipstick and blusher came from.

"Please tell me that isn't all makeup..." Leah watched half in horror, half in amazement as Alice unsnapped the catches on the case she held, setting it down on the bed, and revealed that all it contained was actually makeup. _A lot _of makeup. Grinning wickedly, Alice selected several brands of mascara and peered at them to see which would be the best.

"We're going all out, apart from your hair. Don't panic – you'll look great, I promise." Leah didn't doubt that she'd look pretty good after Alice was finished with her. Truth be told, she was really starting to enjoy the time she spent with the Cullen women. It made her feel more like a girl again and less like an overgrown dog. Most of the time she'd spent at the Cullens' recently had been spent going over wedding stuff, but sometimes Alice gave them all makeovers, and they'd sit and read magazines and watch movies and gossip using codenames. A few months ago, Leah never would have thought she'd ever be friends with them. Now it was thanks to them that she felt less and less like one of the guys.

"So," began Rosalie as Alice began to work on Leah's makeup. "How's the fairy godmother, Cinderella?" Leah smiled at her Alpha's codename.

"Good, Rose, she's good."

"And the evil stepsister?"

"More just 'stepsister' now. I went to speak to her. We made up. I forgave her."

"You what!"

"Forgave her!" Leah held her hands up as if trying to defend herself.

"Chill! Yes, Rose, Bella, I forgave her. I don't love Sam anymore, so what's the point in holding onto a grudge. Things won't ever be exactly the same, but they're a lot better. I don't regret it."

"As long as you're happy, dear," said Esme, smiling.

"Thank you, Esme." Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"So, did the fairy godmother have anything to do with this?" Leah blushed slightly and looked down at her lap, a small smile coming to her lips.

"Kinda."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"No."

"Please, Leah!"

"No!"

"Pleeeasssseeeeee!"

"Oh, fine!"

At first, Leah had laughed at the idea of showing the guys her new dress. Then, when she realised Alice was actually being serious, she resisted. Jake and Seth were only down the corridor, probably in their suits, with Emmett, Edward and Jasper. Leah was willing to bet money that they could hear every word of her argument. But, as always, Alice had won in the end, and now Leah was waiting impatiently in Rose's room for Bella to summon the guys out into the corridor. She didn't like the idea of being seen "all done-up", as Alice had put it. She hadn't looked so..._girly_....for so long. Though she hated to admit it, she was starting to feel....kinda shy. "Relax," Esme said, putting a hand on Leah's shoulder. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks, Esme. I just haven't felt so much like a girl in a long time." Esme reassured her once again that she looked amazing, before drifting off to see where Bella had gotten to. _It's just Jake and Seth. Just Jake and Seth_. Leah tried to make herself feel better – after all, it was only her brother and her Alpha. But that was the problem.

It was _Jake_. Sure, he'd seen her in a bikini top and shorts, and he'd seen her without anything on; but that was _before _she started to...feel like this. It _mattered_ now. Just the thought of him seeing her before or after she phased now made her blush. There was a sudden knock on the door, taking her away from her thoughts, and Bella's head appeared. "Come on, then," she said. Grumbling quietly to herself, Leah stood up and started walking to the door. She'd planned on edging out of the room and standing there for a few moments, arms folded, pretending she didn't care, and then hiding back in Rose's room. Hell, maybe she'd even do a little twirl to make the I-don't-give-a-toss act look more real. But once the door was open Leah forgot her plan, and it was Bella who gently pushed her out into full view.

Standing a few feet away were Seth and Jake, chatting to Edward. Seth's head snapped round as soon as he caught sight of his sister out of the corner of his eye. "Wow, Leah, you look....fantastic." Seth cleaned up pretty good himself, but it wasn't him that had Leah's attention right that second. She was staring at Jacob, who was looking _very _good in his suit. His outfit was neat, while his hair was ruffled like normal, but the contrast just made him look even better. He looked up when he heard Seth's comment, and instantly met his Beta's gaze.

For a moment all he could do was stare. He'd never seen Leah properly dressed up before, and he immediately decided that the result of Alice's 'makeover' was amazing. Her dress made the most of her curves, her makeup natural but enhancing. She looked even more amazing than usual, he found himself thinking. It him as he looked her slowly up and down, taking in every detail, that he was checking her out. Checking _Leah _out. And it was _Leah_ he always ached for. Thoughts of _Leah _that kept him awake at night. His heart was already doing double-time just knowing that she was near, that she was a few quick steps away. Jake knew that she had been planning on pretending she didn't care that she looked so different. Some part of him warmed thinking of how she'd muttered to Rosalie something about being _shy_. She was showing her soft side fully, and although old habits may die hard and she didn't like it, Jake did. She was strong-willed and kind and funny and _forgiving_.

The feelings had been getting worse the past few days, and he'd known he wouldn't be able to go on much longer. He'd thought they'd go away on their own, but he was wrong. And now, seeing _Leah _standing here in front of him looking more beautiful than he'd thought was possible, knowing it was _her _that something was pulling him to....it was the last straw. Edward's face broke into a smile. Jasper was standing with his head cocked slightly to one side, eyeing the Alpha and Beta with a curious expression on his face. No doubt picking up on their emotions and wondering what the Hell was going on. Emmett was already back in conversation with Seth.

Internally, Jake sighed. Why? Why him? Why did she have to look so damned beautiful?

_Oh, for God's sake, that's it!_

_I can't do this anymore!_

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**Sorry about the cliffy :L Revieww guys! Every time I see a review it spurs me to write a bit more of the next chapter! When I have no inspiration reviews are all I have! :L xx**


	17. Falling For You

**Well, aren't you all lucky? I was off school today because I'm not very well, so I spent this morning writing Chapter 17 specially for you guys and I just couldn't control myself, I had to upload it! :D *does happy dance***

**I found this chapter's song randomly, although I've been a huge Busted fan for as long as I can remember :L I'm not sure how famous Busted was in the US, but they were pretty big in the UK when I was younger. This is one of their less-known songs, but I love it :P Still, nothing can compare with Year 3000.**

**Anywhoo.....hope you like this chapter. I'm not sure if the 'idea' makes sense, but for the sake of the rest of this fanfiction let's hope it does :L**

**I'm sooooooooooo excited for the upcoming chapters :D! Heehee, R&R!**

**Now, I'm off to see how much of Chapter 18 I can write in 50 mins before I start my I.T coursework (.......fun.......)**

**Em xx**

* * *

"I, I'm really falling for you,

I, hate what you're putting me through,

What have you done to me now?

I just can't sleep at night..."

Busted - Falling For You.

* * *

He was stupid, really. He'd let himself get into this, let himself wind up in this state. This was different to the Bella thing. So, so different. For one thing, when he'd liked Bella he'd actually been able to sleep. He could be in the same room as her without almost going crazy. Jake guessed she really was meant to be with Edward in the end. When Leah had come to see him that day, so long ago now, he'd promised himself he was done with matters of the heart, at least for a while. He was going to concentrate on just enjoying his life. But things had changed since then. Jake knew what was happening to him.

The plan had been to help her. To comfort her when she needed someone, to help her be happy again. They were meant to be friends – maybe even best friends, now – and that was it. He wasn't supposed to fall in love with her.

Even now, she was all he could think about. He was doing this for her, after all. Jake couldn't take it any longer – the sleepless nights, the constant longing to reach out and touch her: it was all too much. So he was going to man up, and fix it. But before he did, there were some things he needed to know. And only one person that would have the answers.

As he knocked on the front door of the little house, Jacob wondered if he was doing the right thing. The door opened before he could come up with an answer, and his question was forgotten for a while. "Jacob, hi. Quil's out, I'm afraid. Patrol, I think."

"That's okay. It was actually you I came to see, sir." Jake didn't miss the brief look of knowing that crossed Old Quil's face. It was quickly replaced by a smile, but not quick enough.

"In that case, come in." Quil senior stood back to let Jacob into the house, then closed the door. "Well, Jacob, what can I do for you?" he asked, gesturing for him to take a seat on one of the small sofas. He sat down across the coffee table from Jake and pressed his fingertips together, peering at the young Alpha over the top of them.

"There's...uh....something I need to ask you about. To do with the legends." He didn't know how to phrase it without sounding stupid. For a few moments he wracked his brain, then remembered that he was doing this for Leah, and said the first thing that came into his head. "I need to know what the chances are of....me Imprinting," he blurted out.

Quil senior cocked his head to one side, raising an eyebrow. "Any...specific reason why you want to know?" Not wanting to lie, Jake shrugged.

"It's complicated," he mumbled.

"I see." The older man leaned back in his seat, smiling slightly. "Well, you already know that the legends say Imprinting is rare, don't you?" Jake nodded, feeling suddenly nervous. What if he didn't get the answer he wanted? Would he be able to stick to the plan? "I'm beginning to doubt the validity of that myself, seeing as how almost all of you are now Imprinted. I believe there's only yourself, Seth, Embry and Leah now?"

"Yes, sir." Jake was slowly filling with dread. He wished Old Quil would just get it over with.

"But you, Jacob, are an Alpha. That changes things." Quil senior leaned forward again, smiling knowingly. "I think I can safely say you won't Imprint."

"What?" Jake sat up in surprise, frowning. "Are you sure? How do you know?"

Quil senior stood up and crossed the room to a bookshelf stacked to the ceiling. He pulled a thick volume out of one of the higher shelves and returned to his seat with it, setting it down on the coffee table with a thud. "I'm much more observant than you think, Jacob," he said as he started flipping carefully through the pages. "I saw the changes in your relationship with Leah, and knew one of you would come to me sooner or later." He gave the younger man a wry smile. "I did some research, because of Leah's bad history with Imprinting. I couldn't find anything at first. I was about to give up, and just hope for the best. Then I found this..." Quil senior found the right page and turned the book around so Jake could read it. "You don't have to worry about Imprinting, Jacob, because _true _Alphas don't Imprint." Jake fought to hide a smile while he read the text. This was _exactly _what he wanted to hear. Quil senior tapped a different section of text before continuing.

"It then goes on to say _why_ you won't Imprint. Frankly, I think it's remarkable. It's the first mention of female shape-shifters I've ever come across, and I've been around for longer than I want to think about." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway. The book says that in a pack, there is only meant to be one female. This, of course, makes her the Alpha female, although the position is not always consciously recognized by other members of the pack. You're the Alpha male, obviously. To sum it all up, neither you, or Leah can Imprint. Because in a normal wolf pack you would be the Alpha pair, and it would be down to the Alpha pair to keep the bloodline going strong, et cetera, et cetera. You know the drill, so I'm not going to go into it."

Quil senior closed the book and shuffled over to the bookshelf to put it back. "I'm sure that's what you wanted to hear. Looks like you have the green light to tell her, kiddo."

"Is it really that obvious?" Jake asked as he got to his feet, reeling slightly from the new information.

"Oh, you'd be surprised at how much I notice. But don't panic. As far as I know, Sue and your father are both oblivious. Besides, I figured telling Billy was something you'd have to do on your own, like coming to see me." Grinning, Jake went to the door.

"Thanks, sir. Really. I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, son. But a word of advice – when you tell her, stay out of range of any heavy objects."

As Jake walked back in the direction of his house, he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He'd never wanted to Imprint. Leah agreed with him on the fact that Imprinting was mind control, and not love. Jacob wasn't scared of commitment, but if he was going to spend the rest of his life with someone he'd prefer it to be because he wanted to, not because some stupid legend said he had to. There were two more things he had left to do. Then all he had to do was somehow work up the courage to tell her how he felt. He was taking a huge risk – if she didn't feel the same way, if she didn't want to know...he was risking the relationship they'd carefully built. But, if by some miracle she did feel the same way, then he'd be able to promise that he wouldn't leave her. He'd be able to give her some reassurance. He just hoped that she would listen.

XXXXXXXXXX

Leah knew she should have gotten out of bed hours ago. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day, but all she wanted to do was hide. Just stay under her duvet for the rest of forever. Every couple of minutes she cursed her own stupidity – after all, it was her fault. She should have tried to fight harder, been more serious about it. But fighting hadn't worked. Pretending hadn't worked. And seeing him looking so damned gorgeous in that stupid suit had made her realize, and had also made the whole thing worse. Because denying it wasn't going to work anymore either. With a quiet growl of frustration Leah closed her eyes and cursed herself. Of all the idiotic things she could have done...

She'd only gone and fallen in love with Jacob Black.

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**YAY! They admitted it! Well. To themselves at least :L Is anybody else insanely excited! Please leave a review, I'd love to know what your ideas are on what's going to happen next :D xx**


	18. Look After You

**Chapter Eighteen :D Woo! Hope you like this one - I've discovered that if I sit down at my laptop I'll barely write anything, but if I sit down with a notebook and a pen I'll write _loads_! ^^ Been out in the sun all weekend, the weather's been lovely :D! Alice-Cullen, hope you've recovered from today's ordeal, and I hope you like this chapter :D**

**Btw, all the reviews you guys have been giving me are just amazing! And the ones for Remember Me, too! Seriously, they make me so happy :L Heeheehee! Some of them were so funny too :P My exams are pretty much over until June, so I'll try to keep the chapters coming as quick as I can :P I _will _finish this, I can promise you that. And I can also tell you I've planned out the next 12 chapters ;D!**

**Enjoy dudes :]**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Haven't had one of these in a while....do I own Twilight? Is there a Blackwater ending? Nope. _Should _Stephenie have had a Blackwater ending? Hell yes!**

* * *

"If I don't say this now,

I will surely break,

As I'm leaving,

The one I want to take..."

The Fray - Look After You.

* * *

"Listen, Dad. I need to talk to you – no, no." Jake cleared his throat. "Dad, I need your advice – no, too corny." With a heavy sigh Jacob stopped pacing the kitchen and ran a hand through his hair, the way he always did when he was nervous or stressed. In this case he was a bit of both. He was seriously wishing Old Quil had just shared his suspicions with Billy right from the start. It sure would have saved Jake a lot of hassle. Working out how he was best going to explain the situation to his father was proving more difficult than he had first thought. Part of him knew he needn't get himself so worked up. Whatever Billy's reaction was, it would be a calm one. Hopefully. And besides, this was meant to be easy! It was his I_dad _for crying out loud.

Yet somehow all these doubts had taken up residence in Jacob's mind in the ten minutes he'd been waiting for his Dad to get back from fishing with Charlie. What if Billy got mad? Or what if he lectured Jake on not hurting her like Sam did? Or what if he didn't approve! _But he has to approve! _Jake did his best to reassure himself. _She's Harry's daughter, after all. _Crossing the room in just a few footsteps, Jake picked up a photo in an ornate silver frame that had been sat on the counter next to the fridge for years. The photo was old, and felt small in his large hands. The picture had been taken years ago, before Sarah Black died. It was of his Mom, sitting on a blanket in a forest clearing. She was smiling broadly at the camera and hugging two young children to her.

Jacob and Leah wore matching smiles, just like the twin girls that leant on each of their mother's shoulders. A young Embry stood shyly next to Rachel. The little girl gripped his hand tightly, and although there was a slight reddish tinge to Embry's cheeks he was smiling happily. Meanwhile on the other side of Jake's Mom Quil had thrown his arms around Rebecca and was frozen in the middle of planting a kiss on her cheek. Quil had always hated this photo. Jake, on the other hand, loved it. He didn't have many photos of his Mom, and this one in particular reminded him of how simple life used to be. Before he turned into a dog. Before Bella, even. Way back when he was still young enough to believe in the bogey man, and when Leah used to hang out with him and play truth or dare because Rachel and Rebecca were doing "boring girl stuff."

Jake brushed his thumb over the younger Leah's smiling face and sighed. God, how much had changed since then. "Honesty is the best policy," he said to himself. "Dad, I'm in love with Leah Clearwater."

"About time!" Jake almost dropped the photo. Startled, he spun round. Sitting in the doorway with a smug look on his face was none other than Billy Black.

"Dad! Uh...." Jake set the photo down, flushing red. "Hi."

"Hi," said Billy. He grinned widely at his son. "So, you being serious? You're in love with her?"

"I, uh....it's.....um.....yeah, dad," Jacob admitted with an air of defeat. Billy's grin got even bigger and he rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"I knew it!" he said, wheeling himself further into the small room. "Kept my suspicions to myself, mind. But I knew it was only a matter of time! So, when are you going to tell her?"

"I....." Jake rubbed the back of his head in thought. "I don't know. But I need to know I'm doing the right thing." Billy looked at his son with confusion written on his face. The right thing?

"What do you mean?" Shrugging, Jacob sat down at the little kitchen table and swivelled round in his seat to face his dad.

"I went to see Old Quil," he began, staring at his hands in his lap. "To find out the chances of me Imprinting. I didn't want to risk becoming Sam."

"What are the chances?" asked Billy as he scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Is it really likely?"

"No, actually," Jake said, feeling glad he could say at least one thing for certain. "An old legend he found says it's impossible. You'll have to ask him to explain it. But basically neither of us can Imprint, so we don't need to worry about that. And I would never leave her voluntarily."

"So what's the problem?" Jacob raised his eyebrows. Wasn't it obvious?

"Dad, she probably doesn't like me. Not like this, anyway. And besides, am I even doing the right thing? If she doesn't want to know then it will probably ruin our friendship, and I don't want her to go back to the way she was because of me." What if he'd been in the 'Just A Friend' zone too long? What if he'd left it too late?

"Jake, listen. If you don't do this we both know it will drive you crazy and you'll never sleep again. Take a leap and see what happens." Billy winked. "It's what I did when I liked your Mom."

"Okay.....right.....hang on – how did you know I haven't been sleeping?"

"We _do _live in the same house, y'know."

"Oh. Yeah.....well, there's one more person I need to go talk to before I do anything. Thanks Dad." Billy gave a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Anytime. Anyway, who might this third person be?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Jake wasn't sure if this was easier than telling his Dad, or worse. Worse, he decided. Seth was usually quite passive, not normally very violent at all. But when it came to his sister he was fiercely defensive. And Jacob wasn't sure if being his best friend would score him any points. In fact, it probably just made the whole thing worse. However he chose to explain it, he had to be quick; he had no idea when Leah was going to get back from Sam and Emily's, and really didn't want her to walk in on him telling her brother he loved her.

Jake stood on the Clearwaters' porch, waiting for Seth to answer the door. He knew Leah was out, and Billy had said Sue had turned up at Charlie's just before he took Billy home. That meant that only Seth was home. Jake sighed. How the Hell was he going to put it all into words? Seth chose that moment to open the door. "Hey, Jake," he said, looking slightly confused although he was smiling. "I didn't know you were coming by today...?"

"Yeah, um..." Jake looked everywhere but at Seth, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I need to um...talk to you. About...stuff."

"Right....." Seth just looked more confused, but stood back to let Jake into the house.

"Look, Seth – listen." Jacob blurted the words out without meaning to, and instantly wished he could take them back. He'd sounded way too nervous. He decided to try again. Rubbing the back of his neck anxiously, he looked down at the carpet to avoid meeting Seth's gaze. "It's...about Leah."

The silence that followed was almost suffocating. After almost a minute Jake couldn't take it any longer and looked up, preparing for a fist to collide with his face. Instead he found Seth standing there and staring at him with a look of horror on his face. "Oh, God no!" Seth cried, covering his eyes with his hands and shaking his head. "I knew it, I knew this day would come!"

"Seth...what?" Jake stared his friend in confusion, raising an eyebrow as Seth continued to shake his head with his eyes covered.

"Embry, I said, it's going to happen, I can see it coming, but did he listen? No. No, 'coz nobody listens to me! It was more obvious than...than...than the sun being round, but nobody believed me."

"Believed you? What? Seth, what are you talking about?" Seth uncovered his eyes and looked at his Alpha, pulling a face.

"You and Leah," he said. "You want to talk about her, because you _like _her. Ugh, God – my best friend and my sister? No, no, I don't even want to think about it!"

"Seth, look, I...you're right. Yeah, I like her. A lot. A Hell of a lot." That caught Seth's attention, and he frowned slightly. "But I know she's been hurt before, when she didn't deserve it," Jake hastened to add. "I know that. And believe me, I don't want to risk the friendship me and her have now, but I can't go on like this anymore." He sighed, raising both his eyebrows a little. "I haven't slept properly in far too long. And no matter what I try she's all I can think about – "

"Gah! Stop, stop! Before I get any nasty images!" Seth cut across his Alpha, raising his hands.

"I need to tell her, Seth," Jake pressed. "I do. But no matter what happens, I won't hurt her, not ever. I won't do what Sam did." He quickly told Seth about the implications of the legend Old Quil had found out about, how neither Jake nor Leah could Imprint and how he wouldn't leave her voluntarily anyway. "I swear man, I can't even think about doing something like that to her, I love her, I can't..." He struggled for a moment to find the right words. "If...if she feels the same, Seth, I...I'll look after her. I promise."

"Look. Jake, I don't know how she feels. I don't know what she's going to say. I do trust you when you say you won't hurt her. But she's my sister. And if you do, then I don't care if you're my Alpha or not, I'll have something to say about it. Got it?" Jake nodded. The unnatural sternness of Seth's tone was making him uneasy. Seth sighed. "Do you know when you're going to tell her yet?" he asked, sounding himself again. "Because Mom and I are going to the Makah Reservation in a couple of days to see some of Mom's friends, and if Leah's going to be in a mood to kill then I don't really want to be around."

"I...." Jacob didn't know. He hadn't thought that far ahead yet. He was going to tell her, he knew that much. If he didn't it was only going to drive him crazy.

Jake was going to tell Leah everything. How he couldn't sleep, couldn't think, couldn't concentrate. He was going tell her how he needed her more than anything else, how he couldn't imagine not having her in his life. He was going to tell her that every time he saw her he forgot how to breathe, because she was just too damn beautiful. The question was...

When was he going to do it?

* * *

**AHAHAH! Sorry, I know, I keep dragging it out....but things will come to a head VERY SOON ;D Keep reviewing, and it'll come even quicker! Mwahahaha :] xx**


	19. Heartbreak Warfare

**Okay, so, I know I only updated last night, but I'm so. Freaking. Excited! Next chapter is a biggie, people! ;D**

**Soo...just so you know, I'm a huge fan of Paul as a good guy. But for the purposes of this chapter, he had to be an ass. Don't worry, everything will all make sense later!**

**I'm also lucky to be alive, as Alice-Cullen decided she wanted to make me die of heatstroke and laughing in triple history today :L For some reason she thinks Louis Pasteur looked like the sun, and that Rosie the cow was actually a pig...? :L**

**Yeah. She's mad.**

**Enjoy! :D**

**Em xx**

* * *

"Clouds of sulphur in the air,

Bombs are fallin' everywhere,

It's heartbreak warfare..."

John Mayer - Heartbreak Warfare.

* * *

Today. Jake was going to tell her today. As he walked in the direction of Emily's house, where Sue had told him Leah was, he couldn't remember ever feeling so nervous before. Although Leah was definitely a new person now, she still had one Hell of a temper. When pissed off, she was dangerous. And Jacob really didn't want to sustain any injuries. But mainly, he just didn't know what he'd do if she didn't feel the same way. He'd thought Bella's rejection was hard enough, and that had been one of the worst things he'd ever been through. But this was different. Leah was different. This had snuck up on him, and Jake had walked straight into it, and now he was in far too deep to ever get out again. If he told her he loved her and she didn't care...he honestly didn't know what he was going to do. He sighed. Things could never be easy.

Jake was close to Emily's house when he heard the shouting. His sensitive hearing picked it up easily, and he rolled his eyes. Knowing the guys it was probably something stupid. "Why can't you just admit you're lying? We all know you are!" Judging from the tone, voice and phrasing...

_Sounds like someone's pissed off Paul again_. _Majorly_.

"Shut up Paul! What the Hell is your problem!" Jake stopped. "Why can't you just believe me!"

_Leah_. Oh God. Leah and Paul? Fighting? That was always nasty. Jake picked up the pace, feeling the anger start to boil just below the surface. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

By the time Jake got there the yelling was loud enough to startle birds from trees. When he rounded the corner into Sam and Emily's drive the first thing he saw was Leah striding away from the house, looking thoroughly pissed off. Paul was following a little way behind her, fists clenched at his sides. "What's the matter Clearwater? Forgotten how to phase?" Leah stopped in her tracks. Now that she was standing still Jacob could see just how violently she was shaking.

_But if she phases, it'll be like Paul won..._Embry, Quil and Jared appeared, closely followed by Sam. They edged warily down to stand behind Paul, to stop him if he phased.

So Leah closed her eyes, took a couple of deep breaths and turned around. Jake used this time to come up and stand behind her, in case Paul just wouldn't shut up. "You know what, Paul?" Leah began. Her voice started off shaky, although calm-ish, but went up a notch or two on the volume scale as she continued. "You are one Hell of a pathetic asshole! You have some serious issues!" Paul stopped walking, now standing a few feet away, and Jake could have sworn he heard him growl.

"_I _have issues!" He yelled. "_I'm _pathetic!" Snorting, the glare he aimed at Leah was venomous. "At least I'm not the infertile freak of nature!"

For a second, Leah simply stood there with her mouth hanging slightly open, looking like he'd just punched her. Then suddenly she tensed. Jake lurched forward and grabbed her around the waist just before she lunged for Paul. "No, Leah!"

"Let go of me Jake! I'll kill him!"

_That's my point! _Leah tried to pry his arms off her, but failed. She may be faster, but he was definitely stronger. As Sam started to shout at Paul Jake turned Leah away to face in the opposite direction, not loosening his hold on her. She was so close to phasing that she was almost blurring before his eyes. "Damn it, _let me go_!" she yelled again, and Jake shook his head, forcing himself to stand his ground. This was for her benefit. "Paul, you prick, you're DEAD!" Leah bellowed, trying to twist free.

"Leah, honey, it's not worth it!" Jake argued. He tightened his grip and leaned down to murmur in her ear. "Just take deep breaths, just try to calm down, Lee, please..."

Leah instantly stopped struggling, out of breath. Jake could hear her heart beating way too fast. She took a deep breath, held it for a few moments, then let it out. Leah had to repeat this a few times, but although her heartbeat did return to normal it didn't stay that way for long. Once she realised how tightly Jacob was holding her and how close his lips were to her ear her heart started sprinting again. She pulled out of his arms, mentally scolding herself. Leah took one look at Paul's smug face, and something snapped. "That's it!" she said. "I'm done! I can't do this anymore! It's over!" And with that she turned on her heel and stalked towards the cover of the trees. Jake called after her, but she ignored him. He heard a quiet chuckle from behind him that could only have come from Paul. Seething, he turned around.

"What the fuck man!" he shouted. "What did you do that for!"

"She's lying Jake! All this "nice" bullshit is really starting to piss me off - "

"She's not lying!"

"Both of you, stop it!" Sam ordered.

A low growl rumbled in Jacob's chest. Ignoring Sam, he started forward with the intention of knocking the smug bastard to kingdom come. "Leah's _changed _Paul – I've seen it, Sam's seen it, we've all bloody seen it! What the Hell is your problem with her!" He clenched his fists against the shaking that was becoming harder and harder to control. In a second Paul was right in front of him, growling loudly. Jake hated fighting with his brothers, even Paul. But this was his Leah, and _nobody _was going to do that her and get away with it.

"What does it even matter to you, Jacob? What, do you feel sorry for her or something? Or, let me guess, she's the closest thing to Bella that you can obsess over?"

And the next thing anyone heard was the sickening crunch of a fist colliding with bone.

XXXXXXXXXX

Silently, Leah paced her room, hot tears threatening to spill over. God knows, she'd tried. She'd changed. She'd stopped the bitchiness, she'd been nice, she'd befriended the Cullens. Damn it, she'd even forgiven Sam, forgiven _Emily_. And still Leah saw the looks people occasionally gave her. No matter how hard she'd tried, they still didn't completely believe that she was different. Some part of them still saw her as the bitch who brought a new meaning to the phrase "If looks could kill." The only person she really had was Jake. And the fear was still there, the fear that ran too deep to get rid of it. Leah knew it was only a matter of time before Jacob Imprinted. He was Ephraim Black's great-grandson, the true Alpha of La Push – and the true Alpha would need an heir, of course. A nice little Imprint would see to that.

"_At least I'm not the infertile freak of nature!" _Leah stopped her pacing as Paul's words echoed in her mind for the tenth time in as many minutes. Outside the skies darkened and clouds meshed together in a thick blanket of grey. Thunder rumbled in the distance and a single raindrop fell from the sky. But Leah was oblivious to the sudden, dramatic change in the weather. She'd moved and sat down on her bed, and was now stubbornly trying to hold back the tears that were already sliding down her cheeks. Paul had deliberately brought up the issue of her infertility. He knew it was a sore spot, that it would hurt her. Jake alone knew just how much it would. Leah had always wanted kids, as long as she could remember. Her high school friends had all laughed at the idea of becoming Moms, so Leah had pretended that the thought if it was ridiculous. When Sam Imprinted on Emily and all her friends left her she'd kept up the façade. It made it hurt less if she pretended that she'd never imagined having Sam's children, never imagined their wedding and the family they'd have. Sam had always talked about it.

But now...now, the thought that she would never be able to hear someone call her Mommy, or even have to wake up in the middle of the night to warm a bottle up...the thought that she would never see a beautiful little girl or boy jump from her arms and leap on Jacob, and call him Daddy – it broke her heart. Jake's Imprint was going to get to have all that, because he deserved better than her. Leah knew she didn't deserve him.

She wiped furiously at her tears. Well, to Hell with the lot of them! And Jake – wonderful, amazing Jake...he'd be fine. He coped before, he'd cope again. Leah got unsteadily to her feet and went to her chest of drawers. She needed to get away. Just for a little while. Just to clear her head. Seattle, maybe. Somewhere else. _Anywhere _else. Leah needed time to think, to come to terms with the fact that she was always going to be known as La Push's biggest bitch and that no matter what she did, Jake was not hers and never would be. She needed to do this, to be spontaneous. She began pulling out clothes and stacking them neatly on her bed, before pulling out a suitcase from the bottom of her wardrobe and putting the clothes in it. Her Mom and Seth would kill her when they got back and found her gone. But she'd leave a note. And she'd call. Besides, she'd only be gone a couple of weeks. A change of scenery, a chance to think everything over carefully and the opportunity to prepare herself for the coming heartache and arguments would do her the world of good.

Hell, if she enjoyed herself, maybe she wouldn't come back at all. She could get a job, go to college, maybe. Get a flat of her own, stop phasing, _really _start living her life. No doubt when Jake Imprinted – the thought sent a stab of pain through her heart and made the tears threaten to return – she would find out from Sue, but that would be better than actually being in La Push when it happened. Leah wouldn't have to see the poor man's mind turned to goopy mush in the face of supposed "Fate". With her heart aching at the thought of leaving Jake behind, Leah zipped the suitcase shut and reached for her phone. How long would it take for a cab to get there? Just as she was about to start dialling the number, there was a banging on the front door. She jumped and dropped the phone. Then, the rain pounding down on the roof so hard that it wasn't easy to hear the banging, Leah sighed. There was no need to even ask.

She already knew who it was.

* * *

**I love me some drama, hehe. Did you like it? Let me know! I was kind of trying to bring out Leah's maternal side a bit, and her more insecure side. Review please :] xx**


	20. Chasing Cars

**Okay people - THIS IS IT. And that's all I shall say.**

**But this chapter is very dramatic (and I cried...). I wrote four versions, and picked this one, although they all had the same outcome - it just happened in different ways. I don't know if any of you actually listen to the song for each chapter while you read (which is why I had that poll), but I really, really advise you to this time. I think it makes it more emotional, and if you play the song again every time it stops - so you should listen to it about three times overall - then the timing is near enough perfect. Just me being a bit of a perfection-freak, but...I just REALLY want you to get the full experience from this, because it's such a humongously BIG chapter!**

**I hope you all like it, I was going to update tomorrow but I just couldn't wait any longer :L I NEED you to review this, you have no idea how eager I am to see what you think haha!**

**I tried _so_ hard to get this right for you guys! Hope you like it!**

**Em xx**

* * *

"If I lay here,

If I just lay here,

Would you lie with me and,

Just forget the world?"

Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars.

* * *

Leah hesitated, hand outstretched and reaching for the door handle, frowning. He would be standing there, waiting for her to open the door. He would have heard her hesitation, and her sharp intake of breath as he banged on the door again and called out for her to open it. Because it _would _be him. No one else would have come to see her after the fight she and Paul had just had. Sam, Jared, Quil and Embry would probably still be dealing with the aftermath of Paul's anger, but after he cooled down they'd just go back to watching TV. Emily was most likely dashing around the kitchen, frantically trying to stop dinner from burning. Hopefully she'd save it; Leah hadn't spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen cooking with her cousin for nothing.

That was what had sparked the fight. Paul had seen her talking and laughing with Emily and made some snide remark about how it was all just an act and why did she have to hurt people for no reason? And it had just gone from there. Leah had been so close to losing control when Jake turned up. She would have phased if he hadn't held onto her after that last thing Paul said. She'd put up a damn good fight to free herself, but Jacob hadn't let go. He'd held her tightly and begged her to calm down, and when he'd murmured in her ear like that she'd wanted to melt. Just thinking about him made her heart skip a beat or two, and then she remembered that she still hadn't opened the door. The fear in Leah's heart reared its ugly head. She didn't know if she could do this. She didn't know if she could say goodbye to him. But then he called to her again through the door and over the noise of the rain, voice gentle and full of an understanding she knew only from him.

"Lee? Leah, baby, open the door...Please, I...I need to know...I need to know you're alright." Leah's hand enclosed around the door handle and she pressed her forehead against the cool wood of the door. This was going to be the hardest goodbye. "Please...just...just open the door."

Unable to bear it any longer, Leah did as he asked. She opened the door a crack at first to peer out, but when she caught sight of him she flung the door open wide and stood there, staring. "Jake, are you...are you _bleeding_!"

"What?" Jacob frowned in confusion, then reached up and touched just under his nose. His fingers came away wet with blood. "Oh," he said blankly. "Gross."

"Oh, Jake..." Leah studied him, taking him in. He stood there on the porch, soaked through to the skin. Water dripped from his clothes and formed a small puddle around his feet, but he didn't seem to notice. He was still staring at the blood on his hand, eyebrows raised a little in bewilderment as if he didn't know how it got there. He must have been surprised, because there was a gash healing just above his eyebrow that looked like it stung, and a bruise on his cheek that seemed to be fading.

Jake saw her looking and grinned sheepishly, wiping the blood on his jeans. Leah rolled her eyes at his typical reaction, but when she spoke her voice was heavy with the concern she felt squeezing her stomach. "Oh, and your eyebrow...come on, we need to get that cleaned up before it heals." She took the hand without the blood on it, ignoring the spark of electricity that shot up her arm at the feel of his skin, and led him indoors. She shut the door behind them before taking Jake's hand again and leading him up the stairs and into the bathroom. The house was now considerably darker than it had been before, thanks to the storm brewing outside, and they both blinked several times in the sudden brightness when Leah switched the light on.

Jake leant against the counter while Leah rooted around in one of the cabinets for the little first aid box she knew her mother kept there. The cut would heal, but getting dirt or anything stuck in it wasn't such a good idea. She eventually found the small box and set it down on the counter next to Jacob. "How did you managed to get so beat up so quickly?" Leah asked quietly as she busied herself with antiseptic and cotton wool. Jake shrugged, using a bit of cotton wool to wipe away the blood from his nose.

"Paul," he said simply, putting the bloodied material in the bin. Leah froze and her gaze flickered to him. Jake smiled sheepishly again.

"Paul?" Leah asked in disbelief. "_Paul _hit you?"

"Only a couple of times. I decked him. Then came here as fast as I could." He shrugged a second time, trying to pass it off as no big deal. Jacob didn't care what Paul had done to his face. It would heal. But what he'd said to Leah? She wasn't going to recover as easily, Jake knew that.

"But _why_?"

"Because I needed to know you were okay." Leah didn't miss the way he said 'needed'.

_Jake really cares that much...?_ "I...Why did he hit you, I mean?" asked Leah, resisting the urge to shake her head to clear her mind.

"I hit him first," said Jake, wincing slightly as Leah pressed a piece of cotton wool to the gash above his eyebrow. The antiseptic stung. "What he said to you was just...it made me so mad. And then he asked me why I even cared, said I was obsessing over you, and...I just lost it." Sighing quietly, Leah threw the cotton wool in the bin and shut the first aid box.

"I was so close to losing it," she murmured as she put the box away. "If you hadn't held onto me, Jake, I would have phased." All at once she remembered what it felt like to have him so close, to have his arms around her and holding her tightly. She'd never have that. Not the way she wanted to. And by tomorrow she would have left it all behind. Left _Jake _behind. Leah's throat closed up against her will and her eyes brimmed with tears. She brushed them quickly away, annoyed with herself for not being stronger. She needed to be stronger. For Jake. But she wasn't quick enough, and he heard her almost-silent sniff.

Wordlessly he stepped forward, and she turned around when she heard him approach. The sight of her tears made Jacob ache to help her, to comfort her. He wanted nothing more than to be able to turn back the clock and stop Paul from saying those words. When she refused to look at him, favouring the floor instead, Jake reached out and gently tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. Leah sniffed again as a tear slid down her face, but still she wouldn't meet his gaze. Jake didn't have to think about it; he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, wishing he could do more. If she wanted to talk about it, he would sit and listen. He'd stay awake all night if he had to. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly. Leah, with her face pressed into his chest, shook her head slightly, sniffing.

"Not yet. Just...just hold me for a bit. Please." Jake nodded and she relaxed further into his embrace. His heart picked up speed a little as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. Leah was tall, but Jacob was taller, and she only came up to his shoulder. He breathed in her familiar scent and let her presence fill him with that warmth he'd been fighting, the feeling he knew he'd never lose.

Leah fit perfectly in his arms. Just like the way her hand fit exactly right in his, which was all he'd been able to think about as she'd led him upstairs. There was only one thing running through his mind, three little words that he wanted to tell the world, tell _Leah_. _There's never going to be a right time_, he realised. Jake would only keep waiting, keep putting it off, and then he'd never tell her. Leah inhaled his scent, wishing she could memorize it. It was something like forests and summer and something so _Jake_. She just wanted to hold onto him and never let go. His heart hammered underneath her ear, which was odd because the adrenaline from his fight with Paul should have worn off by now. Her own heart was beating unnaturally fast. She was going to miss this. She was going to miss _him_. So much.

"Leah – "

"Jake – " They laughed quietly. "You go first," Leah said. Better to let him say whatever he needed to say. She wasn't sure how he was going to react to her news.

"No, no, ladies first. Really. What is it?" Mentally, Leah rolled her eyes. But she didn't want to ruin the moment by arguing. Instead she sighed and pulled back, looking up and meeting her Alpha's gaze. She really was beautiful, Jake decided, even with tear tracks drying on her face and no makeup on. He moved one of his hands to gently cup her face, using his thumb to brush away the last tear on her cheek. Her deep brown eyes met his as she gave him a small smile, and something stirred deep in his heart. Jacob wanted to kiss her so badly it hurt. But he knew he couldn't. Not until she knew. Not unless she cared.

"Jake..." Leah began softly. "I need to tell you something." Looking down, she took his hand again and led him from the bathroom, down the hallway to her bedroom.

Once there she let go of his hand and picked up her phone from the floor, setting it down on her bedside table. She deliberately left Jake in the doorway. She knew he'd see the suitcase. She knew he'd know what she was going to do. It just seemed like the easiest way. Leah's heart ached at the look on his face – confusion, disbelief, hurt...all because of her. _He'll recover. He will._

Jake's heart thudded in his ears. The suitcase seemed to stand out from the rest of her room, like a beacon. She was leaving. His Leah was leaving. Swallowing hard, Jake struggled to remember how to talk. "Going somewhere?" he finally choked out. He looked at her, hoping that this was a joke or that he'd misunderstood. That she would be standing there, puzzled, and then would say something that would explain everything. But she didn't. Leah laid her hand on top of the suitcase and looked down at it, unable to bring herself to look him in the eye.

"Just for a little while," she whispered. She looked up in surprise when Jake snorted. He looked straight at her, and the hurt in his eyes broke her heart.

"Lee, we both know you won't come back." Jacob shook his head, turned around and placing his hands on the back of his head. He let out a frustrated breath in attempt to ease the pain in his chest. It didn't work. "You weren't going to tell me," he said after a few moments, turning back around and lowering his arms. "If I hadn't come after you..."

Leah crossed the room and gently took his face in her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes. More tears rose to the surface, but she fought them back. "Jake," she breathed. "I need to get away. No matter how much I've tried, they still don't completely trust me. The damage I did before is irreparable. There's no point staying here. Not if they don't want me." The truth of her statement distracted her, and in that split second a tear escaped and ran down her cheek.

"Stay for me," Jake breathed back. "You'll _always _have me. I trust you. I want you." _I need you_. He reached up and enclosed his hands around her wrists, keeping her hands on his face.

"But you won't, Jacob," said Leah, her eyes sliding shut as another tear leaked out. "You won't." She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. She had to force herself to look at him. "You're the true Alpha, Jake. Someday your son or daughter could be the Alpha, too. You'll Imprint. And then I won't matter anymore."

Her fear was plain, laid bare for Jacob to see. Jake thought he should feel relieved at knowing she was wrong, but he only felt worse. Leah's eyes told him she had accepted this, accepted that he would leave her. The chances of her believing the truth were slim. He wet his lips with his tongue nervously, and tried to think of the right words. "I won't, Leah," he began, begging her with his eyes to understand. "Old Quil says...there's this legend, and...I can't Imprint. Nor can you. It's because of what would happen in a real wolf pack, I..." He shook his head slightly. Leah looked confused, but he continued. It was now or never.

"I would _never_ leave you, Leah. Not ever. I don't know what it is that you do to me...but I haven't slept in weeks. I...without you, I'm at a loss. And then when I'm with you I'm a wreck on the inside, and I can't stop looking at you, or thinking how beautiful you are, or wondering why this feels so right..."

"Jake, please," Leah whispered, more tears running down her cheeks. He couldn't do this to her, it wasn't fair. He was trying to get her to stay, and it was hurting, hurting so much...

"I _need _you, Leah," Jake insisted, beginning to sound panicky. His eyes were wide and for a second he looked like the little boy Leah remembered he'd once been. "I can't live without you. Please, don't go – " Leah looked away, taking her hands from his face and pulling one of her wrists free.

"Jake, don't – "

"Leah – "

"Don't do this, it's not fair – "

"Please – "

"I need to go – "

"I _love _you."

They both froze. Jake hadn't meant to tell her like that...but he wasn't going to take it back. He meant every word of what he said. "I love you," he repeated, louder, while Leah stared at him with complete shock written on her face. Slowly, ever so slowly, she started to shake her head. Her expression changed.

"No..." she said. "No, Jake, you can't...don't..." Leah's heart was thudding so hard that it hurt. She couldn't believe what he'd just said. Wouldn't let herself believe it. She wouldn't let herself be hurt again. "You...you need to go," she whispered, not meeting his eyes. Jake stared at her. She wanted him to leave. She hadn't even wanted to say goodbye.

_She doesn't want me_. Leah didn't want him. He continued to stare at her, feeling his heart break. The same heart he'd just laid on the line, the one that belonged to her whether she liked it or not. The pain throbbed in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. Maybe if he tried to explain, maybe if he could get her to see..."Lee – "

"Please, Jacob. Go." Leah closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself. For a moment, all Jake could do was look at her. Look at the woman who had shown him what it really felt like to be alive, who had just crushed him worse than he'd ever been hurt before. And then he turned, walking quietly from the room. Leah's back hit the wall at the same time as his footsteps sounded on the stairs, and she sank to the floor.

Outside the storm raged, dark and thunderous and everything that was tearing her heart apart as she sat there on her bedroom floor and sobbed. How had this happened? How? _He said he couldn't Imprint_, she thought as she wept. _But what if he's wrong?_ She wiped at her face, and then sobbed again because it was the same hand she'd taken his with. Leah opened her eyes, hating this, hating the tears and the pain and the uncertainty. Then a picture on her wall caught her eye. Six beaming children. Jacob's smiling Mom. The twin girls looked so happy, and the two boys nearest them looked so different, and yet so the same. But it was the two children in the middle of the photo that she stared at. Herself and Jake, aged nine and six. Sarah Black was hugging them to her, but if you looked close enough you could see that behind their backs Jake and Leah's fingers were entwined. Leah thought of how she'd taken Jake's hand just minutes ago. Their fingers had fit perfectly together. And when he held her they were like two pieces of a puzzle. Reeling, Leah continued to fix the photo with her attention. The younger versions of themselves stood out from the rest in the centre of the picture, but she couldn't work out why. Even her smile matched Jacob's, just like how her hands and body were shaped to correspond with his. And then it hit her.

They were perfect. Even when they were so young, they were perfect. Made for each other. So much had changed since then: she was an independent woman, and the little boy in the picture was a grown man now – her stomach filled with butterflies at the thought of Jake. But still, still she loved him. Loved every tiny detail, from his smile to his courage to his nervous habits. Loved all 6ft 8 of her Alpha. And no Imprint would be able to stop them, because Fate didn't compare with this. This was bigger than Fate. This was him and her. Jake and Leah. And it always had been. She just hadn't realised it.

Getting to her feet, Leah started to panic. She needed to tell him everything. She needed to tell Jake that she was in love with him, and planning on staying that way. Then she remembered. "Oh, God!" Leah whispered. _What have I done! _The panic gripped her heart as she bolted from the room, and uncontrollable fear had joined it by the time she was racing down the stairs. What if she was too late! Leah flung open the door and ran out into the rain, thunder rumbling overhead. The raindrops came down thick and fast and painful, and she was soaked within seconds, but she didn't stop. "Jake!" she yelled, looking around. Had he phased! Was he gone! "JAKE!" Leah started running down the driveway, out into the road, head whipping from left to right and searching for her favourite thing in the whole world. Her hair stuck to her face and got in the way, and she pulled it impatiently out of her eyes.

And there he was, walking down the road to her right. For a second, Leah could only watch the retreating figure in relief. She still had a chance. Then, acting on impulse, she turned in his direction and yelled as loud as she could. "JAKE!" The figure stopped. Turned. And stared. It was him. Definitely him. The relief was so great that her knees threatened to buckle, but it wasn't over yet. Nowhere near. She broke into a sprint, slowing down as she got closer and trying to ignore the uncomfortable way her clothes were sticking to her. His own black T-Shirt clung to his skin, emphasizing his muscles, and his hair was flat and dripping water in his eyes. Leah walked the last few steps up to him, taking his face between her hands for the second time. Jakes eyes were wide and filled with hurt and confusion, but it was him. It was Jake. _Her _Jake. He opened his mouth to say something but she cut across him. Leah had to do this. "I'm so sorry, Jake. So sorry." His expression softened further at her tone. "I love you." And then she leaned up and pressed her lips to his.

Instantly a spark ignited and her blood felt as though it was set on fire, leaving her adrift in a strange new electricity that she'd never felt before. At first Jake's brain overloaded, and he stood there in shock. But then his mind numbed and an amazing electrical heat started spreading through him, and then his hands were on her back and she was pressed against him and for a second he thought he'd died. He was going to stay here forever, kissing her in the rain, and nobody was going to get him to move - because although it was freezing and they were soaked to the skin and the thunder was almost deafening, Leah was here, in his arms, and she was _his_. The way she should have been from the very beginning.

Leah moved her arms up around his neck and entwined her fingers in his hair, surprised at how soft his lips were and how extremely _good _Jake was at this. For the first time in a long time she felt complete. "I love you, Jake," she murmured against his lips a moment later. "So much." Jacob smiled. Everything felt so right that he prayed it would never end. It was like something inside him had been missing before. And now he'd finally gotten it back. Leah made him who he was, the way he made her who she was, and one without the other just wasn't supposed to be. He didn't know how this had happened, or why, or what would happen in the future. But if Leah was in it, he didn't care where his life took him. Where _their _lives took them.

"I love you, Leah," Jake whispered back, brushing his nose against hers softly and praying that he would be allowed to keep her for the rest of his life.

"I'll always love you."

* * *

**OhmyGOD IT HAPPENED. :D I promise if you review this I will actually love you forever! I can't believe I cried...I just got so emotional :L I'm sorry if any of you cried! Hehehe! xxx**


	21. Edge of Desire

**So, I know it's only been a few days, but Alice-Cullen has been nagging me to update (sorry dude :P). I wanted to do it sooner :L but there's been a lot of drama at school lately and I haven't had the time. Some good, some bad...but ah well :] All of your reviews for Chapter 20 were just AMAZING - they made me so, so happy! Thankyouuuu :D Hope you're all satisfied with how it panned out :] I'm considering posting another fic, which will basically be made up of little alternate scenes that didn't make it to the final cut for this story, when Sweet Escape is over - who'd be interested? Let me know in your reviews!**

**Yeah, this chapter isn't as long as the last one. :L Chapter Twenty was more than 4,000 words, whereas this one is roughly the usual length as it's a bit of a filler chapter. Don't worry - I'm going to sit down and properly plan the entire rest of the fic out, sort out all the dramatic bits and the plot twists [ ;) ] and interesting stuff :P I've already decided just exactly how this is all going to end, but you'll have to wait and see ;D.**

**Thanks again for the reviews from last time guys, you have no idea how much I appreciate them :]**

**Em xx**

* * *

"Don't say a word, just come over, and lie here with me,

'Cause I'm just about to set fire to everything I see,

I want you so bad I'll go back on the things I believe,

There I just said it, I'm scared you'll forget about me..."

John Mayer - Edge of Desire.

* * *

She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, he said. _This _was the best thing. He'd fought it at first, but it had all just become too much. He'd never leave her, he promised. He _couldn't _leave her. They lay on Leah's bed in the darkness, tired from the stress and the emotionally draining day. The two towels they'd barely used were in a crumpled heap on the end of the bed; their body temperatures had ensured that they and their clothes had dried within minutes. Jake's jacket was folded over the back of her desk chair, slowly drying out.

They'd been talking for the past couple of hours, getting everything out in the open, saying things they never thought they'd say and confessing secrets they never thought they'd share. Jake had just finished describing his gradual falling in love with her, and for once, Leah accepted his honest promises and explanations of how much he needed her. She snuggled close to him in his warm arms, letting his words sink in and swell her heart. It had been so long since she'd felt needed, and knowing that someone like him couldn't live without her filled her with a new feeling of adoration that she couldn't quite describe. His heart beat steady and soothing beneath her ear, and as he stroked her hair and murmured in her ear Leah felt truly content.

When it was her turn to speak, she let her barriers and walls disintegrate. Jake deserved the honest truth, and Leah was happy to give it to him. She was so terrified of losing him, she said, so scared he would Imprint, that the idea of leaving had only seemed all the more attractive. But looking at the photo had made her realise how things used to be, how their smiles, thoughts, hands, bodies and hearts just seemed to _fit. _She thought they were made for each other, she said. Jacob chased her blush away with a kiss to her temple and a soft, whispered agreement.

She was simply too amazing, Jake thought as he entwined their fingers. The twilight outside was visibly through the large gap in her curtains, through which weak moonlight poured and allowed him to make out a little more than the outline of her form in the dark. His heart warmed at the small smile that appeared on her face. Hopefully his Dad wouldn't mind him not coming home tonight – Jake had no intention of ruining the moment because he had to go home. No way.

Leah wondered, briefly, what her Mom would think. Sue had always adored Jacob, and had treated him like a second son when his own mother had died. She'd been happy that Leah and Jake were spending more time together – but would she be happy that they were _together_, together? Fighting the urge to yawn, Leah nodded internally. Yeah. Her Mom would be happy. Seth might not be as pleased, but it was his job to be the protective little brother. Besides, knowing him, he'd be spending a lot more time being horrified at the idea of his sister being with his best friend than thinking about punching his Alpha or making death threats. Harry Clearwater would have approved, Leah knew that much. Jake had been like a son to him, Billy like a brother as well as a best friend. Her Dad would have been thrilled.

The guys were a whole different ball game. Sam would either be glad or disapproving, Quil, Embry and Jared would be surprised – in a horrified way – Collin and Brady would most likely be the same and Paul would probably throw a hissy fit. Meanwhile, there was a big chance that their Imprints would have a girly freak-out and start planning another wedding. Oh, God; the Cullens would never let her hear the end of this. Rosalie's Cinderella musings would take on a whole new meaning. Leah almost groaned in dread. Rose was _terrible _for sexual innuendos when she wanted to be. At least she could count on Bella, Esme and Edward being genuinely happy for her. Jasper and Carlisle would be too...Alice would insist on doing her makeup and hair 24/7 so that she looked her best and Emmett would never let her live it down. Renesmee was just a _tad _too young to understand. But then...what did it matter what everyone else thought? Jake loved her and that was all that mattered.

"Jake?" Leah began, lifting her head up a little.

"Yeah?" murmured Jacob, close to sleep. For a second, Leah took the chance to study his face while his eyes were closed. When he'd told her he loved her she'd told him to leave – Leah didn't think she'd forget the crushed look on his face any time soon. It had seemed like the only thing to say in the moment, but now she couldn't understand how she even brought herself to think of it. Life without Jake in it just wouldn't be bearable. She smiled, and leaned up to kiss him. When she pulled away he was smiling, although his eyes were still firmly shut, and she instantly missed the warmth of his lips on her own.

"Thank you," she whispered, putting her head back down on his chest. "For fixing me. Trusting me...loving me." Leah closed her own eyes, feeling sleep creeping up on her. Jake pulled her closer and waited for her to succumb to the tiredness. It wasn't long before her heartbeat steadied and her breathing slowed.

Still smiling, Jacob opened his eyes and looked down at Leah's sleeping form. She felt so tiny in his arms. Slowly, so as not to wake her, he shifted slightly and pressed a kiss to her hair. "Thank you for believing me," he whispered back, before closing his eyes again. He didn't want to sleep – no dream Jake had could possibly be better than the reality he was in right now. _But_, he thought, _at least I'll have someone to wake up to. _She had accepted his explanation of the Imprinting legend to be the truth. Her clothes were back in her drawers, the suitcase put away and her idea of leaving long-forgotten. His Leah was staying in La Push, with him, where she belonged.

Content with the knowledge that she would still be there when he woke, Jake fell asleep to the sound of her soft breathing, to dreams only of her. Meanwhile, Leah smiled, somewhere between waking and dreaming. She trusted him; the legend had only proven her idea that they were meant to be. Had it been anyone else, she would have been telling Fate where to go. But now, after everything that had happened, she was starting to believe in it. Leah was starting to understand why some of the guys had been so eager to Imprint, especially when the legends had told them nothing could better it. _Nothing can better an Imprint, my ass, _she thought. That part of the legends was wrong.

The proof was holding her tightly in his sleep.

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**I've already started working on Chapter Twenty Two, which hopefully I'll post soon :] There's some good times and more drama on the way, and all before Chapter Thirty ;] Review guyss :] xx**


	22. Closer To Love

**You have NO IDEA how horribly GUILTY I FEEL! :O I am so unbelievably sorry that it's been so long! I've had some bad internet problems and because of them haven't been able to upload anything to the internet! :'( I'm still not technically supposed to be uploading, but...I won't say anything if you don't! ;) It's been hard to find inspiration as well and I've been stressed out to the limit these past couple of months, but enough of the excuses! I have my inspiration back, and I'm going to try and post another chapter within the next few days to make up for my absence!**

**The reviews from the last two chapters are just amazing, they made me so happy and I love you all! :D Also thanks to LoneWolf for the inbox that helped me get off my butt and write again :L !**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter :D SWEET ESCAPE IS OFFICIALLY BACK PEOPLE! ^^**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight, not me!**

* * *

"'Cause you are all that I've waited for,

All of my life,

(We're gonna get there),

You are all that I've waited for,

All of my life..."

Mat Kearney - Closer To Love.

* * *

Waking up in someone's arms was a new experience for Leah. After remembering _why _Jake was in her room and on her bed and holding her, she found she liked it. A lot. For the next few minutes she watched him sleep, liking the sound of his heart beating beneath her ear and the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Leah smiled to herself as she traced random shapes on his shirt with her fingertips. It was a little while before she realised that she was still in her clothes from the day before. She groaned internally; she didn't want to move, but there wasn't really a choice. Her Mom and Seth would be home in a few hours, and Leah didn't want to have to do any more explaining than was nessecary. Sighing, Leah carefully sat up and attempted to untangle her legs from Jacobs. Once she'd gotten to her feet and smoothed her T-Shirt out she leaned down and gave his shoulder a gentle shake. "Jake," she murmured, watching his face for signs of life.

"Mmm?" he mumbled, eyes flickering open a little.

"I'm just gonna take a shower, okay? I'll be right back."

"Mmm." Jake's eyelids slid shut again and he almost instantly was asleep. Smiling, Leah kissed his forehead and gathered some clean clothes and the towels from the night before.

She took her time in the shower, using the time to think. The water was cool and refreshing against her skin, and as she washed out the shampoo from her hair she reflected on the events of the previous night. She'd been stupid to think that she could live without Jake, even for a second. This was a new stage in her life, Leah decided. She was going to draw a line right here, right now. Who she'd been, what she'd done before now – none of that mattered. What was important was her future, the next phase of her life that officially started as of _now_. The one she wanted to spend with Jake. From now on she would take what life gave her and accept the inevitable ups and downs, and she would be grateful. She would be happy.

Leah hummed under her breath as she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a fluffy white towel around herself. She was dried and dressed within minutes and dragged a brush through her hair as she walked back down the corridor to her room. She stood in her doorway for a few moments and rolled her eyes; in her absence Jake had gone back to sleep and now lay sprawled across most of the bed, snoring softly. For a second, Leah simply stood there as the corners of her mouth turned upwards in a small smile. Then she tiptoed across the room, careful not to wake her Alpha, and sank down gently onto the bed beside him. Propping herself up on one elbow she smiled again as she studied the man before her.

Jacob looked so peaceful when he slept. The stress and confusion of the recent weeks had drained away and relaxed his features as it went, leaving him looking, in this moment, so much younger. Leah smoothed out the last faint creases in his forehead with a soft brush of her fingertips. Although sometimes a deep sleeper, the gentle action woke Jake. His eyes flickered open. As soon as he met Leah's gaze he smiled back at her, his heart automatically speeding up in his chest. "Hey," he whispered quietly.

"Hey," Leah replied, tilting her head slightly to one side. She grinned. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Jake chuckled and propped himself up further on her pillow.

"It's okay. Let me guess – I have to get up?"

"As much as I'd like to stay here all day, yeah...I don't want to have to answer any more questions for Mom and Seth than I have to." She paused as Jake looked at the pillow forlornly, clearly wanting to stay in bed as much as she did. "_But_," Leah began again, a compromise forming in her head. "Emily isn't the only good cook in this family y'know."

Jake instantly started to get up. "Well, if there's food involved then I think I can make sacrifices," he said as he tried to untangle himself. Laughing, Leah got up and headed for the door. _At least now I know a good bargaining tool,_ Leah thought. _Leah Clearwater 1, Jacob Black 0. _Leah practically skipped into the kitchen, shaking her head at her ridiculous state of mind. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had such a spring in her step, or had smiled so much in one morning. But then again, a lot had changed in the last couple of months. She continued to beam at nothing in particular as she pulled a frying pan out of the cupboard and went to the fridge to look for eggs and bacon.

Jacob strode into the kitchen a minute later, looking tired and slightly dishevelled but ultimately happy. He rubbed his eyes and then caught sight of himself in the small mirror on the wall. His hair stuck up in odd directions; he ran a hand through it to try and tame it and then smiled when he saw Leah's reflection in the mirror. Grinning, Jake shuffled over to where she stood at the stove, keeping a vigilant watch over breakfast as it cooked. "I think your cooking skill defy even Emily's," he said, gazing appreciatively at the food.

"Thanks." Leah hoped the light burning sensation on her face was from the heat and not a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "But if you're even considering sneaking some of it now, you've gotta be mad."

Jake laughed and moved to his right. "I'm mad now am I?" he mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He leaned down to kiss the side of her neck, then pulled back chuckling as Leah let out a small shriek of protest.

"AH! Jake! That tickles!" she laughed. Leah instantly realised her mistake when he did it again, and then switched to the other side. She was using all her willpower not to burst into girlish giggles, but eventually started laughing. "_Jacob Black!_" she gasped as she fidgeted and struggled for breath – he was now starting to tickle her stomach as well. "If you want food - !"

"Okay, okay!" Jake pressed one last kiss to the back of her neck where he thought it wouldn't tickle as much, and then forced himself to let go of her and sit down at the table.

His arms felt oddly empty without her, but he made up for it by watching her as she finished cooking their breakfast and retrieved plates from one of the other cupboards. "It looks amazing," he said as Leah set his plate down in front of him, and then took a seat next to him.

"I'm a little rusty, so I wouldn't bet on anything until you've tried it," she warned him, but smiled at the compliment.

They laughed and chatted as they ate, and Leah found herself grinning constantly. Part of her still thought that it must all be a dream – she'd never felt so lucky before. She glanced at Jake during a lull in the conversation and accidentally caught his eye. "Did yesterday really happen?" he asked quietly, setting his knife and fork down on his empty plate. "Or is this some kind of cruel dream where I wake up and find none of this is real? Again?" He smiled at her then, deep chocolate eyes twinkling and almost puppy-like (no pun intended). They were filled with a mixture of contentment and happiness, slight disbelief and something strong and undeniable, but which Leah couldn't quite place. For a moment she smiled back, fascinated with how Jake, of all people, seemed to actually be _twinkling _at her.

Then she set her own cutlery down and turned in her chair to face him, wondering if it would be possible to communicate all of her feelings to him in just one look. She tried, pouring hope and happiness and amazement into her gaze, digging into the furthest recesses of her heart to try and find a way to communicate just how deeply she loved him. "If this is a dream, then there is no way I'm ever waking up," she said, hoping he understood. Jake's smile grew instantly and Leah's heart raced; if he kept smiling at her like that, he was going to be the death of her. She leaned in and met him halfway, revelling in the exhilarating feeling of warmth and safety that bloomed in her heart when her lips met his. Leah made a mental note to ask him where he'd learnt to kiss like that – she'd bet money on his answer being "natural talent".

They whiled away the next few hours curled up on the sofa watching old cartoons. Leah felt like such a kid when she burst out laughing at something that wasn't even that funny, until she realised that Jake was laughing even more than she was. It was Jacob who, eventually, brought up the subject of how they were going to tell Sue and Seth. "But it's not just them," he pointed out. "There's the Pack, too...what are we going to say?"

"I...I don't know," Leah answered truthfully. She hadn't even thought about how they were going to tell the rest of the Pack yet. "I mean, Mom and Seth I can do. But the Pack? I have no idea..."

"I'm okay with whatever you decide," Jake assured her. "I don't mind if you blurt it out or want to keep it on the low for a while. _I _know I've got you. That's all that matters to me."

Leah couldn't stop a faint blush from colouring her cheeks at the honesty behind his words. She thought for a moment while the little animated characters on the TV screen wheedled their way out of yet another tricky situation. _If only life were that simple_. "Well...I think it would be best to wait until the right time to tell Mom. Y'know, make sure she's in a good mood, because I have no idea what she's going to say about us."

'_Us'..._Jake liked the way that sounded more than he wanted to admit.

"And I think with the others...maybe we should just...I don't know. Let them figure it out on their own?" Jake grinned at the thought of Quil and Embry struggling with the concept of 'Jake' and 'Leah' becoming 'Jake and Leah'.

"Sounds great. It'll be funny to watch at least."

"It's going to drive them mental," Leah agreed, chuckling.

Her laughter was cut off by the sound of the front door opening. "Leah? We're home!" Sue called, and Leah sighed.

"I feel like it's Judgement Day," she said.

"Everything will be fine," Jake murmured, kissing the top of her head. "Promise."

XXXXXXXXXX

Seth caught one glimpse of Jake and Leah's entwined fingers and groaned. "I knew it!" he exclaimed. "I _knew _I shouldn't have come home – I keep telling people I have psychic instincts, but does anybody listen? Noooo!" He covered his eyes with his hands and edged his way out of the room, shaking his head. "I don't want details. _Ever_. Otherwise I swear I'll withdraw my permission and disown you both. And get Mom and Billy to ground you for corrupting my innocent mind." Sue watched her son leave with a confused and slightly alarmed expression on her face. She raised her eyebrows as she turned back to face her daughter.

"What was all that about?" Leah cleared her throat nervously and glanced up at Jacob, who gave her a reassuring smile in return.

"Uh, Mom...Jake and I, um...have something to tell you." She'd barely finished speaking when Sue caught sight of their joined hands and shrieked. Actually _shrieked_. Before either Jake or Leah could react Sue had leapt on her daughter and was hugging her fiercely, beaming.

"Oh my God, I knew this was going to happen, I could see it coming! Oh, this is so amazing and sweet and adorable and - OH MY GOD!" Sue jumped back, realisation and shock written on her face. "I HAVE TO CALL BILLY!" Her 1000-Watt smile returned and she cheered before practically running from the room. Leah and Jacob looked at each other in bewilderment.

"It's official," Leah announced after a minute of stunned silence.

"My family is insane!"

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**Once again I feel soo bad! If nobody reviews this because you've all given up on me then I don't blame you! But as of now, SW is back and ready to amaze again! :D xxx**


	23. Amazing

**Woo! Finally finished Chapter 23! :D I know it's late but I HAVE to upload it, because I'm still feeling really guilty for the long break I took :[ I'm still begging for forgiveness! You were all amazing after the last chapter, welcoming me back :] It made me smile so much!**

**Just want to say how important your reviews are to me - they can really make my day, honestly! I especially love longer reviews because I like to take into account what YOU guys want to happen :D! If some of you ask questions I'll try to get back to you in a message as soon as possible :] Now, I'm off to get ready for a GCSE Geography trip to Brighton tomorrow. (For readers outside the UK, it's going to take me 4 hours there, 4 hours back. And when we get there, we're doing Coursework all day. I know. Insane much?) Anywhoo I'll be driving Alice-Cullen1210 crazy to pass the time ^^ This chapter goes out to her, and also to UnwantedSlag as a VERY late birthday message thingy! :L **

**Hope you enjoy, wanted to make this longer to make up for my absence :]**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight :[ Wish I did.**

* * *

"You're amazing, you're amazing and it's true,

No one can save me, no one can save me like you do,

This is crazy, yeah it's crazy but it's true,

Baby save me, baby save me like you do..."

Hedley - Amazing.

* * *

Leah was so excitedly nervous she didn't know whether to scream or throw up. Rosalie was surprisingly calm – _but then_, Leah reminded herself, _she has done this before_. Alice was orbiting around Rose, dashing around so fast that she looked almost like a mini hurricane. Leah checked her reflection in the big floor-length mirror on Rosalie's wall for the fifth time in as many minutes. Paranoid as she was, she kept thinking her elegantly-styled hair was falling down – her glossy black locks had been curled and fixed into a perfect bun on the top of her head, held in place by countless hair pins, a _lot _of hair spray and a delicate diamond hair slide. Alice, Bella and Renesmee also had matching hair slides; Esme had said they used to belong to her great grandmother, once. She'd been saving them for an extra-special occasion. And today, everyone knew, really _was _an extra-special occasion.

Leah, Seth and Jacob taking part in Rosalie and Emmett's wedding symbolised not only a breaking of the barriers formed by the expected "mortal enemies" relationship, but was also like a seal of peace between the Cullens and the Quileutes. "If I could cry, I would cry at some point," Bella said, bringing Leah out of her musings. "I would. I know it." Leah smiled at Bella in the mirror and chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'll do enough crying for all of us," she said as she carefully turned and sat down on Rosalie's bed, beside Bella. Leah wasn't just paranoid about her hair – she was also worried about somehow ruining her dress at the last minute. Just the price of the shipping had been enough to amaze her. The actual dress itself had cost more than she wanted to think about. Floor-length red satin, strapless and figure-hugging, the dress accentuated her curves and made her feel extremely feminine. The only real detail was the thick jewelled edging on the top of the bodice section, but Leah suspected that those were real diamonds. The whole thing added to the beautiful simplicity of the dress. She'd spent the last few days practicing walking in the red heels Alice had bought, and to her surprise found she was pretty good at it.

With surprising grace Renesmee hopped up onto the bed to sit with them. Now the size of a small five-year-old, her red sandal-clad feet dangled off the edge. Her dress was a much smaller version of Leah, Bella and Alice's, with straps and a fuller skirt. She looked the picture of adorable perfection, but when she spoke it was with age-defying maturity and seriousness in her voice. "I can't wait 'til I get married," Renesmee announced, smiling cutely. "It's all so exciting!"

"And it's a lot of hard work, too," they heard Alice mumble, and Rosalie laughed. After a few moments of silence, Renesmee spoke again.

"Aunt Leah," she began, sounding almost as if it was an afterthought. "When you get married, can I be a bridesmaid please?" Leah looked down at the littlest Cullen, surprised. She struggled with wrapping her head around what Nessie had said for a couple of seconds.

"Of course, Ness," Leah finally answered, smiling.

"She'll have to tell him first," said Rosalie, winking at Leah in her dressing table mirror. Leah said nothing, flushing slightly with embarrassment. Bella studied her silent reaction for less than a second, and instantly knew. She gasped dramatically, hand raised to her mouth.

"Leah _Clearwater_!"

"Bella?" asked Alice, pausing in her work to turn and survey the three other bridesmaids in confusion. Rosalie also twisted round to look, and Renesmee grinned. She knew a lot more than her Aunts and Mom thought she did. Figuring out the reason behind Aunt Leah and Uncle Jake's strange behaviour had been easy.

"Leah told him!" Bella announced, her hand now hiding a grin. Leah was immediately overcome with déjà vu when Alice and Rosalie both shrieked, and Alice started jumping up and down.

"How! When! WHY! DETAILS!" she yelled.

"We want to know EVERYTHING!" Rosalie added excitedly. Bella clapped her hands together and laughed.

"Oh, I _knew _it was all going to come out!" she said. "Wait 'til Edward hears you told him!"

"Daddy probably already knows Mommy," Renesmee reminded her, still smiling. "But Uncle Emmett isn't going to ever let you live it down, Aunt Leah!" Leah's blush deepened and she groaned.

"Aren't we all forgetting that Rosalie is getting _married _in a couple of hours? I'll explain while Alice finishes up, okay? But _please_, no more shrieking!"

There was a lot of winking and gasps as Leah filled them all in on how things had dramatically come to a head between her and Jacob. At the end, as she described realising how she and Jake were made for each other and their kiss in the rain, Bella gave a girly sigh. "Oh, that was so romantic!" she gushed. Rosalie nodded earnestly, her hair and makeup now done.

"It was!" agreed Alice, grinning. "We will _definitely _be discussing this later, but right now there's a wedding we have to get to!"

A few minutes later Leah hurried downstairs to find an old diamond necklace, belonging to Rosalie once. Rosalie had mentioned that it was the first thing Emmett ever bought for her, and Alice had a spur of the moment idea to include it. It would match Rose's hair pins and rings perfectly. Leah dashed for the kitchen, using one hand to hold up the hem of her dress off the floor, still terrified she would ruin it. She found the box on the side, where Rose had left it after wondering whether or not to wear it. It wasn't until she turned to go back upstairs that she noticed Edward. He was sitting at the kitchen table, chin resting on the dark polished wood with his hands on the side of his head, gazing longingly at a bottle of Tylenol. "They said," he murmured, his voice low and tired, "that vampires couldn't get headaches. I'm starting to think they were wrong." He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Everyone's thoughts are just noisy chaos. It's driving me crazy."

"Ah..." Leah took a deep breath to try and calm herself, and thought of relaxing things. "Sorry. Is that better?" Edward smiled, and sat up.

"A little. Thank you."

"No problem."

XXXXXXXXX

Outside, in what the Cullens referred to as a "back garden" - and which Leah thought could also qualify as a football field; _multiple _football fields – everything was set and ready to go. The seating was split into two sections, in between which ran a path of white rose petals. The bride and her bridesmaids would walk up that path, where Rosalie would then continue on to the arch where Emmett would be standing, waiting. Seth hurried around, showing the guests to their seats. Jake stood around, talking to Edward. Since Jake had moved on from Bella the two had become surprisingly good friends. Jake wasn't sure which one of them was more shocked about that. The Denali had arrived exactly half an hour ago, sticking to their promise to be here for as short a time as possible.

Tanya, Eleazar, Carmen and Kate sat talking to Sam and Emily, who had eventually decided to come. Emily had been a little tense and more than a little nervous at first, but had relaxed after Esme and Carlisle had put her at ease. Esme and Emily had instantly hit it off despite Emily's previous misgivings about the Cullens. Esme wasted no time in inviting Emily over sometime soon to try out some recipes from an _extremely _old cookbook Bella had unearthed, and it was clear that Sam and Carlisle both regarded each other with high levels of mutual respect. When Alice gave Edward the mental thumbs up, everyone dashed to their places and the ceremony began.

When the music started playing, one of Edward's melodic compositions, Renesmee was first down the aisle. She smiled sweetly at everyone, ever the cute flower girl as she spread more rose petals ahead of her. Next came Rosalie herself, her arm linked with Carlisle's. She looked more stunning than Jake had ever seen her – but, he had to admit, she didn't even come close to Leah's breathtaking beauty in his eyes. Rosalie's wedding dress, deep red silk and strapless, complemented her pale skin perfectly. The dress was adorned halfway up the right side with silken red roses in places where the material had been deliberately gathered. Bella followed her, holding the back hem of the dress to stop it from dragging on the floor. Alice and Leah came next, each holding little bouquets of roses. Leah caught Jacob's eye and grinned happily at him. He beamed back, feeling his heart jump. She truly had to be the most beautiful, wonderful, _amazing _woman he'd ever laid eyes on. These last two weeks with her had been the best of his life.

After much persuasion, Sue and Billy had agreed not to tell anyone else. For the last fortnight Leah and Jake had been thoroughly enjoying scaring the rest of the Pack. Just the other night Quil and Embry had stopped by Jake's house and found him and Leah watching She's the Man (Leah had said she'd be damned if she missed it again, and her Mom had decided to have another inconvenient cleaning spree). The looks of sheer bewildered horror on their faces at Leah sitting on Jacob's lap had been priceless.

Still, they hadn't cottoned on yet and, like Paul, Jared, Colin and Brady, remained clueless. It was only Sam who Jake suspected of knowing something, but thankfully his ex-Alpha seemed to find the whole mind-game thing hilarious and had kept quiet. As Emmett and Rosalie renewed their vows, Jake watched a few happy tears escape Leah's eyes and slip down her cheeks. All those years ago, when Bella had first moved to Forks, Leah would rather have been six feet under than let anyone see her cry. The sheer amount of change that they had all undergone since then was amazing.

It had also been one of the toughest times of his life, Jake knew, and he admitted that honestly. But the pain and the suffering had matured him even more, clued him up and turned him into a man. He'd loved Bella – he didn't doubt that. But he'd discovered that there was a huge difference between loving someone, and being _in _love with them. A lot of people would still call him a kid, but Jake knew he wasn't one anymore. It had been hard. It had been hard and painful and at times it had almost crushed him. But ultimately, it had made him a better man. And ultimately, it had given him Leah Clearwater. And so it was worth it. It was all worth it for her.

And as the ceremony drew to a close, and confetti was thrown and everyone erupted into joyous applause, Jake watched the happily- renewed couple beam at their family and friends and wondered. He wondered if maybe, just maybe, that might be him and Leah one day. A little nagging voice immediately interrupted and insisted it may not even work out, but the rest of his mind quickly squashed it. He couldn't imagine being without Leah anymore. There wasn't a life for him without her love. She _was _his life. Jake knew it as surely as there were no words to explain how much he loved her.

XXXXXXXXXX

The after party wasn't big, but it was loud. It also involved a lot of alcohol. Quil and Embry had turned up for the wedding with Jared in tow, who explained that Rachel had stayed with Paul. Jared had, however, brought Kim, and the Denali planned on staying for at least a few more hours. Emmett turned the music up and the werewolves decided to see how much it really would take for them to get drunk. Pretty soon Jared was going against Emmett in a shot-drinking contest, with Quil betting ten bucks on Jared and Embry betting ten on Emmett. Kim and Emily were laughing with Kate, Bella and Esme in the kitchen. Tanya, Eleazar, Carmen, Alice and Rosalie were all dancing in the middle of the living room to one of Leah's personal favourite songs.

Leah herself stood in the doorway and watched everyone, sweeping her eyes across the room and drinking in the happiness. Emmett downed another five shots and Embry cheered; Carlisle and Sam were chuckling quietly about one thing or another; as she watched Kate burst out laughing at something Emily had said. Everyone was content. But where was the one person she longed for the most? As if in answer, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind accompanied by a warm, familiar scent. "I was just wondering where you were," she murmured, leaning her head back to rest on Jacob's chest and covering his hands with her own. He smiled and bent down to kiss the top of her head, then her temple.

"Did I tell you, you look even more beautiful than usual?" Jake mumbled into her hair. They hadn't really been parted long; it had only been a few hours since they'd last spoken. But he'd missed her.

"No," Leah whispered back, blushing deeply. "But thank you." For a few moments, they held one another in their own bubble of comfortable silence, despite the music blaring from the speakers. Then:

"It looks like everything really will be okay," Jake said.

"Yeah," Leah agreed. "Yeah...I really think it will be." She smiled, finishing her sentence in her mind.

_Yeah...everything will be okay...as long as I have you._

* * *

**As I said before, your reviews make my day! I'm going to need something to get me through my incredibly long day tomorrow! :O *LE GASP* AND I still have to write Chapter 2 of Perfect :O My new Riley/Bree fic haha :] I'd better go do that! Until next time... ;] xx**


	24. If Eyes Could Speak

**Omg. A week? _Already_? It doesn't feel like it! :L Anway, a week is just too long for you guys to wait :] So I literally just finished this chapter and am uploading it straight away ^^ Thought I'd give you some relaxing fluffy-ness, after the busy chapter last time and the one coming up. Besides, I've just started my Summer holidays :D Like...three days ago, and thought I should do a summer-y kind of chapter :]**

**All the reviews were lovely, thank you! I survived Brighton and me and Alice-Cullen1210 were reading them on her phone, in the coach on the way home :L :] :O Speaking of Alice-Cullen, everybody hope she gets better soon! It was literally the first day of the hols and she injured herself in "a tragic moose-hunting accident". At least, that's the story we're telling people ;] But yeah. Hope you get better soon hun!**

**AND. Just thought I should say. The song for this chapter? It's sung by Devon Werkheiser. Also known as our very own Ned, from "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide." Isn't he all grown up? :'] ...Quite liking it to be honest, haha! ;] Definately recommend listening to it, even if you don't usually listen to the chapter songs :] It's beautiful ^^ *happy dance*.**

**Hope you all enjoy :]**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight...*Le sigh*...**

* * *

"If eyes could speak, one look would say everything,

About the way the smile, the way you laugh, the way you dress,

The way your beauty leaves me breathless,

If eyes could speak, I wouldn't have to talk..."

Devon Werkheiser - If Eyes Could Speak.

* * *

Embry had ended up with an extra ten bucks. Quil could be quite competitive, but when Jared all but passed out and fell off his chair, he knew it was time to call it a night. Quil thought he was making a heroic personal sacrifice in giving up; Jared didn't plan on thanking him, as due to the delay of Quil's "heroic personal sacrifice" he now had one hell of a hangover. "Sam had to swap his patrol over with Paul's," Jake explained. "Dad was on the phone to him when I woke up this morning." Leah smiled, lifting her right hand. She spread her fingers by little more than a millimetre and watched as the warm sand trickled from the palm of her hand like gold dust.

"How come Billy was on the phone to Sam?" she asked curiously, shifting to prop herself up on her forearms so she could look at him. Jacob lay stretched out on his back beside her, eyes closed and face upturned towards the sun. The good weather had only improved since the wedding the day before. Now the sun shone down bright and warm, and she and Jake had decided to spend the day at First Beach. Leah lay on her stomach on the sand, baby blue bikini meaning that sand kept sticking to her, and savoured the lazy atmosphere. Tomorrow was yet another wedding, which meant yet another stressful day.

After a moment or two Jake spoke. "I think," he began, "Sam wanted confirmation on us." Intrigued, Leah turned onto her side and used an elbow to prop herself up.

"You think he suspects something?" It was almost a statement rather than a question. The corner of Jacob's mouth turned up in a small smile.

"Not really," he said, eyes opening. "I think he _knows_ something. I think he's known since before either of us did." He looked over at Leah, who raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Uh..it's a long story."

"I have time," said Leah, smiling. Jake rolled his eyes, and tried to think of a good way to explain it.

"Well...remember when we had that meeting with the Cullens, about those Vampires Alice saw?"

"Yeah...?"

"Like...a little while after that Sam rang me up and asked me to go over, so I did. And he was just asking me stuff. Stuff like how Bella was, and about how you were doing and...when I left he told me not to hurt you – y'know, like he did."

Leah studied his face for a minute, and then sighed, looking down at the sand. "So you think he noticed the chemistry and tried to help it along?"

"Yes and no. I think he saw the chemistry. But I think he asked me those things because he just genuinely didn't want you to get hurt." It was another minute before Leah replied.

"Yeah. You're right. Sam wouldn't have deliberately interfered. He's not like that." Grinning, Jacob sat up. He leaned over and kissed Leah randomly on the end of her nose, and when he leant back she looked at him with a bemused smile on her face. "What was that for?" she asked, although he could tell she certainly didn't have a problem with it.

"You really have healed, Lee," Jake answered, still smiling at her. Leah laughed quietly, a sound that make Jake's heart skip a beat.  
"Well, we both know who I have to thank for that," she said, and she leant in this time to kiss his lips.

When she finally had to come up for air, Leah smiled at him and her heart fluttered when he smiled back. "So, what's going on with the Alpha thing?" she asked, starting to draw shapes in the sand.

"Hmm?" he mumbled, forgetting everything in the face of her smile.

"Combining the packs? Becoming overall Alpha?"

"Oh...Oh, that! I think we're having a meeting in a few days, so that we can get it sorted before Emily and Sam go off on their honeymoon."

"That's good," said Leah. "At least then it's one less thing for everyone to worry about." Jake nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. That's true. Any news on the Cullens? Are they coming tomorrow?" Internally, Leah grinned. At the after party Emily and Sam had actually decided to extend the invitations to the Cullen family. It was the least they could do, and seeing as the Cullens didn't actually eat anything they didn't have to worry about ordering more food for their after party buffet.

"They're all coming," she answered happily. "Nessie's gonna tone it down a bit, though, so that no one suspects anything. Like Edward pointed out, she only looks about five. She can't wander round asking people their opinions on the works of Shakespeare." Jake laughed, also drawing in the sand now.

"She does that?"

"More often than you'd expect. And last night she offered to teach me Hebrew."

"Seriously?" asked Jake, amused. "Good thing she's going to tone it down then."

"Yeah..."

For a few moments Leah was silent, smiling slightly. "Apparently," she began after a while, "Renesmee already knew about us. She said it was easy to suss out. And then Bella figured it out, and then Rose and Alice got excited and told Esme, and...yeah...they kinda know." Leah blushed faintly at the last part, but all Jacob did was chuckle.

"Don't worry, Emmett wheedled it out of Edward, then told Jasper, who let it slip to Carlisle. I think they even emailed Nahuel to tell him." That made Leah laugh again.

"At this rate I'll be surprised if they don't call the Volturi or something," she said as she sat up. "Even though they don't actually know about us and stuff." Jacob sat up too, watching her with a mischievous grin on his face.

Leah glanced over at him and then eyed him suspiciously. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked. He was up to something, she knew it.

"No reason," he answered. And then Leah shrieked as he pulled her onto his lap and started to tickle her.

"JACOB!" she laughed as she gasped for breath. "JACOB EMPHRAIM BLACK!" Jake only laughed.

"Say you give in and maybe I'll stop," he said as he brought his lips to her neck as well. She squealed and exploded in giggles.

"Fine!" she cried. "Fine, you win! Now stop!" He stopped obediently and let her go, still laughing. But not for long.

As soon as his guard was on Leah tackled him to the ground and, before he knew what was happening, Jake was doubling up in laughter. "No! NO, LEAH!" He spluttered and tried to get away, but she had him pinned down. "T-that's not f-fair!" She merely stuck her tongue out at him and continued to tickle him.

"No wonder you never said you were ticklish," she said, grinning to herself as he burst out in a fresh round of laughter. "You must have known I'd use it as a weapon of torture." Eventually she decided he'd suffered enough, and stopped. "And _that_, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason why nobody wins a fight with Leah Clearwater," she said. Jake caught his breath and chuckled. Then, in a split second, Leah found that _she _was the one pinned down and rolled her eyes. "Of all the people, I fell for the strongest one," she said, smiling.

"Hmm," he mumbled in agreement. A small smile formed on his face as he leant down and kissed her lightly.

Jake got up and helped her to her feet, and took a deep, calming breath as he dusted himself down. "Shame," said Leah as she brushed sand off her arms.

"What is?" asked Jake, turning to face her. Leah looked up with a grin on her lips. The same kind he'd worn just a few minutes ago.

"That you fell for the fast one," she teased, and then was backing away down the beach. The sun glinted off her hair, lighting up her features and making her look angelic. The sight filled Jake with a warm, complete feeling that he wasn't ashamed to admit he loved. And then Leah turned, breaking into a sprint. "Catch me if you can, Jake!" she yelled over her shoulder. Jacob shook his head, grinning to himself.

And then he took off after her.

* * *

**Does anybody else find it insanely amazing that said talk with Sam happened in Chapter 7? :'] Lool! Anyway, weather is gloomy (there's summer holidays in Britain for you!) so chances are I'll be starting Chapter 25 pretty soon :L Also, randomly, I adore the song for this chapter :L Lool, R&R, love you all again! :] xx**


	25. Turn It Up

**Omg, sorry it took me soo long :L I just had no inspiration whatsoever, but then this amazing song came out and I kept seeing the vid on TV and I was like...that would SO fit Chapter 25! And...here it is :] England is _finally _sunny! That, and this song, and I'm actually loving Britain right now :L Lool, apologies, it's late and stuff soo...yeah.**

**Btw, let's for the sake of this fic say that Bella's pregnancy took longer than normal, and the beginning of this fic was set in...early January? And it's now like..the end of March-ish :] Just to get the timing clear and stuff.**

**Thankyou for all the reviews last chapter, and hope you enjoy! :]**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"I know you can't stay,

So I won't be waiting, anticipating for the fall,

We had our time baby,

So I won't be waiting, anticipating for the call,

Turn it up, turn it up for the people that say,

We're moving on and we'll be okay..."

Pixie Lott - Turn It Up

* * *

The Clearwater house was chaos. In the kitchen Paul, Quil, Embry, Colin, Brady, Jake, Emmett, Jasper, Carlisle and Edward were gathered, as well as Billy and even Charlie. Sam was at his and Emily's house with Jared, his best man, and a bunch of people from his family. Sue would dash in and out occasionally, alternating her time between checking the time and her conversation with Esme, Embry's Mom and Claire's Mom. Upstairs Leah's bedroom was crowded and noisy.

Alice was helping Emily get ready, and had brought a small portable dressing table with her, which was set up against the free wall. Emily sat at it with her dress on and hair all neatly curled, smiling excitedly while Alice applied a second coat of mascara for her and Rachel carefully pinned her hair into an elegant bun. Rachel herself was already sorted, hair and makeup done ahead of time. Meanwhile the other bridesmaids all sat along the edge of Leah's bed.

Kim was ready, and was sitting talking to Bella. Claire was ready too; Renesmee watched her with interest. Rosalie was doing Leah's makeup. But the fifth and last bridesmaid was simply sitting and watching them all with a smile on her face. Rebecca Black had missed La Push. It felt amazing to be home. Once ready Leah ventured downstairs with Rosalie in tow. She squeezed into the kitchen to get herself a glass of water, amazed at how everyone managed to fit in the room. It seemed that La Push was on a lucky streak, and the sunny weather from the previous day had stuck around.

Unfortunately it meant that it was also very hot, and even Leah was beginning to feel the heat. She was grateful that her dress only had thin straps and was quite light. Made of a silky satin-like material, the dress was a cheerful yellow colour and floorlength, intentionally loose-fitting and slimming. After much searching in Port Angeles Rachel had finally found a store where they could buy several pairs of yellow heels. They were all in different styles, but the length of the dress meant that that didn't matter.

"Everything going okay up there?" asked Jake, putting an arm around her shoulders as she set the glass down on the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, Alice is almost finished with Emily," Leah answered, smiling up at him. "We're running on time."

"So, where's this wedding again?" asked Emmett, hands in his pockets. Edward rolled his eyes, something that always made Leah smile. The expression looked so out of place on his face.

"At a church, Em," said Jasper. "For the fourth time." Emmett grinned mischievously and shrugged.

"I just find it kinda ironic," he said.

"If the priest notices something about you guys, I'll laugh," said Embry.

"I'll bet you five bucks he at least looks at us funny," Emmett challenged.

"You're on."

"Are Emily and Sam even Christian?" asked Charlie.

"Not particularly," Leah answered, and Billy and Quil chuckled. Charlie was holding up pretty well, Leah thought. He looked mostly at ease, although maybe a little nervous, but who could blame the guy? Sue and Billy had gone round to his the other day and told him everything. Apparently he and Sue _were _a thing – which Leah would rather not think about in too much detail – and she wanted him to know what he was letting himself in for. From what Leah had heard, Charlie had taken it pretty well. Although Billy had said he'd said nothing for almost an hour when realisation finally dawned, and it hit him that his only daughter was a vampire and he'd been rooting for her to date a werewolf.

Leah's train of thought was interrupted when someone's phone went off. _"Round round, get around, I get around, yeah, get around oooo, I get around..."_ Emmett pulled his phone out of his pocket, pressed a button, and the song stopped.

"Football's just started," he announced, and put his phone away. Leah raised her eyebrows.

"The Beach Boys? Seriously?" Emmett grinned and winked.  
"Hey, don't hate the Beach Boys. I remember when that song came out. I used to listen to it all the time."

"It's true," said Carlisle. "He had it on repeat for four hours one night."

"And he made us go to see them on their 1964 tour," added Jasper.

"_Twice_," Edward supplied helpfully.

Sue chose that moment to hurry into the kitchen again. "Right, looks like it's all systems go," she said. "Everything's ready." Instantly the atmosphere became one of nervous excitement, and everyone filtered out into the corridor from the kitchen. Carlisle, Esme, Bella, Edward and Renesmee were all going in one car. Alice and Jasper were going with Rosalie and Emmett in their car, and Seth was going with them too. That left Paul, Quil, Embry, Colin and Brady in a third car, with Charlie, Billy, Sue and Jacob in a fourth. Embry's Mom was going with Claire and her Mom. Emily's immediate family was going to meet them at the church; Emily herself, Kim, Rachel, Leah and Rebecca were all going in one car. Everyone piled outside to get in their various cars.

"I'll see you there," said Leah, squeezing Jake's hand gently and standing on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Tell Emily's Mom I said hi."

"Will do," he said, and reluctantly left.

Kim and Rebecca came down the stairs to stand with Leah in the corridor, and Emily came down the stairs, with Rachel bringing up the rear and holding the hem of the bride's dress so she didn't trip. Emily's dress was simple, white and off-the-shoulder, but it made the most of the curves she had and looked amazing. She held her bouquet of yellow roses in one hand and kept the dress off the floor with the other, and smiled nervously. Leah was surprised to find herself tearing up. She smiled at her cousin and sniffed, pulling her in for a hug. "You look beautiful, Em," she mumbled quietly.

XXXXXXXXXX

At the church Leah peered out at the assembled crowd, who were all seated ready and waiting in the pews. "Looks like everyone's here," she said, turning back to Jacob. He smiled and took her hand, entwining their fingers and smiling at her.

"You okay?" he asked, and Leah caught the double meaning behind his words. Without hesitation, she smiled back and leant up to kiss him gently on the lips.

"Yeah," Leah said honestly. "I'm amazing." Jake chuckled and leant down so that their foreheads touched, smiling happily.

"I know."

"Okay lovebirds, break it up!" said Rachel, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. "Time to go!" Leah rolled her eyes as she pulled away, and looked at her friend.

"You don't seem very surprised, Rach," she said, and raised an eyebrow suspiciously. It Rachel's turn to roll her eyes.

"Are you kidding? I saw it coming months ago! Now come on!" Rachel shooed them in the direction of the others, and after a last minute check, the ceremony began.

Things were different at Emily and Sam's wedding: instead of the bride going first – "because they won't be expecting that," Emmett had said with a wink – Claire was first up the aisle with Rebecca holding her hand. Everybody 'aww'ed at her cute little smile as she scattered yellow rose petals up the aisle, like they'd practiced. Next along the aisle was Kim, escorted by Jared. Leah smiled to herself.

_Not long until another Imprint wedding, I bet_. Then it was Rachel and Paul's turn, and Leah's smile didn't falter. Paul had apologized, and he'd seemed genuine enough. So she'd accepted his apology and they'd put it behind them. Besides, the way she saw it, if he hadn't fought with her she wouldn't have wanted to leave, Jacob wouldn't have come to stop her and...they might not have gotten together. Anyway, chances are Rachel and Paul would be getting married soon as well.

Leah couldn't help it – she looked up at Jake, who was watching his sister go down the aisle with a smile on his face. They were the only non-Imprinted couple in the Pack. She thought of that day she'd gone to see him all those months ago, and how different things had been. And that got her thinking about all the Firsts: the first time he hugged her; the first real smile she saw on his face since Bella, that was because of her; that first flutter; the first long, sleepless night; the first time she'd realised her feelings; the first time he'd held her hand; their first "I love you"s, and that magical first kiss. There were a lot more Firsts to come. But would one of them mean that one day, she was standing at the front of the church for a completely different reason? Jake looked down at her and met her gaze, and her heart skipped a beat. Maybe. Just maybe.

And then Kim and Rachel were standing near where Emily would stand, and Jared and Paul stood next to Sam, and it was Leah and Jake's turn. He grinned and offered out his arm for her to take. Leah took a deep breath and held her bouquet up to her chest. "Let's do this," she said, and her smile broadened. She smiled at her Mom as she walked past, hoping she was proud of her. Once upon a time Leah had kicked up a fuss at having to be a bridesmaid at her cousin's wedding. Billy, who was sitting next to Old Quil, motioned from her to Jake and winked, and she tried to cover the pink tinge that came to her cheeks with a sheepish smile.

Once she was stood up the front next to Rachel, everything seemed to go a lot faster. Emily's big moment came, and she walked up the aisle escorted by Seth. All eyes were on her, and she blushed into her bouquet of yellow roses.

Just over three months ago, Leah had been dreading this wedding. She'd dreaded the sympathetic glances and watching her cousin marry the man Leah loved. Most of all, she'd dreaded the vows. But she wasn't that person anymore. None of that mattered, because there were no sympathetic looks being thrown her way, and the man she loved was currently smiling at her from the other side of the aisle. And although when the big moment came and Emily and Sam said their 'I do's, Leah _was _fighting tears, it was for all the right reasons. A warm arm wrapped around her waist when the ceremony was over, and she beamed up at Jacob through her tears.

"I'm proud of you," he said and leant down to kiss her lips. And when he pulled back to smile at her, Leah saw the honesty in his eyes. She closed the gap to kiss him again, not caring who was watching or who could see.

It was all over. She was free.

* * *

**Chapter 26 coming soon ;] Don't forget to review, it alwwayssss cheers me up and makes me smile :] Love you all, thankyou for sticking with me for so long! xx**


	26. All I Need

**Seems I spoke too soon. I'm back to enjoying the horribly rainy weather (N) Typical England, you want rain, you get something resembling the Sahara desert :/ You want sun, you get a bazillion foot of rain and lovely storm clouds :L Not complaining too much though, I like lightening :P**

**Anyway so, this is Chapter 26 (Almost to 30, yaay! ;] ). Managed to get this done today for you seeing as I've woken up ill and throwing up (Oh, I do _love _Summer! *rolls eyes*).**

**On a different note, the song for this chapter is my absolute all-time favourite song, and it really minds me of Jake & Leah, so I figured why not make this their song? I love it and love them so it seemed right :] Hopefully you'll agree with me, I went through everything from Taylor Swift to Snow Patrol before I finally decided that their song should be this one :L**

**Hope you enjoy, I'm off to see if I can eat yet :L (yn).**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Twilight doesn't have a Blackwater ending, so I don't own it I'm afraid :( ...**

* * *

"And if all we've got,

Is what no one can break,

I know I love you,

If that's all we can take..."

Mat Kearney - All I Need.

* * *

Unlike the Cullens' after party, Leah didn't find herself alone, no matter how much she'd enjoyed surveying the effects of her fresh start for a few seconds. Because unlike the Cullens, Sam and Emily's guests didn't have to leave after a couple hours for fear of people turning into giant hairy dogs due to their presence. Most of their guests were rarely-seen relatives, some distant, some close, all wanting updates on the latest family news and happenings. Which meant they had to 'mingle'.

Although she wasn't incredibly pleased about the idea at first, Leah quickly warmed up to it. She was still on a high from her new-found sense of freedom, and she and Jacob had decided that it was as good a night as any to make their relationship known. Everyone knew what had happened with Sam, Emily and Leah, of course: that was one piece of shocking news that hadn't escaped being passed along the grapevine. Still, the pitying gazes were few and far between, and that made Leah genuinely happy. What made her even happier was the knowledge that the pity had disappeared because of the ecstatic smile she'd been wearing all evening.

Leah couldn't help but grin as she explained to people who she was with now. An Aunt she hadn't seen in a couple of years – Auntie Cath, Leah called her fondly – was one of, if not her favourite Aunt. Fun-loving and bubbly, Catherine Clearwater was a seventeen year old girl trapped in a forty year old woman's body. But that didn't stop her from being playfully teenager-like when she felt like it. "Jacob Black..." she murmured thoughtfully, swirling her champagne around inside her wine glass. "And which one is he?" Leah pointed to where Jake stood talking to Charlie, grateful that the babble of voices would distract the werewolves and vampires from paying attention to any conversation that wasn't their own.

Auntie Cath's eyebrows crept up her forehead. Leah blushed into her champagne; her Aunt's dark eyebrows were so high she wondered if they would disappear into the mass of curly, short black hair that framed her face. For a moment, she was distracted by how young Auntie Cath looked. She could have been in her early thirties. But then her Aunt's hat caught her eye again, and she stifled an approving chuckle. Auntie Cath had obviously gotten wind of the theme, and was wearing a happy yellow sundress. Her hat was a matching colour, but was adorned with several different types of large flower and a miniature bird. It went without saying that Leah's Aunt could be a little eccentric.

A sunflower head bobbled slightly as she lowered her head to peer at the young man over her glasses. "You do know how to pick 'em, Lee – he makes all my ex-boyfriends look about as hot as ice cubes!" Leah, who had been sipping her drink, spluttered and stared at her Aunt in amused embarrassment.

"Auntie Cath!" she murmured, trying not to laugh. Her Aunt shrugged and straightened up. "Oh, I do love you, Auntie."

"I love you too, dear. I've missed your cheeky attitude! Now, how old is the walking muscle over there? Older? _Younger_? He looks like he's in his twenties." Leah rolled her eyes, but couldn't resist a smile.

"He's eighteen," she answered. "Which makes your swooning slightly creepy." Auntie Cath stuck out her tongue playfully and grinned, winking.

"A woman can look, can't she? Besides, he's eighteen, that makes him a man." She cocked her head to one side and a coy smile came to her lips. "And I'll bet he's definitely a man in some things," she added, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. Leah burst out laughing, turning red. Auntie Cath sipped her drink. "Well? Does a single, boyfriend-deprived Aunt get details?" Leah decided honesty would be the best policy on this one. She looked down at the floor, waiting for her blush to fade, and cleared her throat.

"It's only been two weeks," she said. "So it's not like I would know." Aunt Catherine gave her a look of horror.

"Good God woman!" she cried. "What's stopping you?" Leah blushed again as she looked at her Aunt. Truthfully, the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. "Ahh..." her Aunt began knowingly. "I see. Never even thought about it, had you?" Leah shook her head, smiling inwardly. Auntie Cath knew her better than she knew herself. "All I'm going to say is that you shouldn't worry about it. You love him, I can see it in the way you look at him, and I can tell that he loves you just as deeply. It'll happen, sooner or later, and when it does, I want details!" Leah chuckled. Her Aunt was right – but what suddenly confused her was those three little words: was she ready? Leah had only just gotten used to the idea of being with Jake, to not worrying about Imprinting, let alone even considered...wow.

Being with him was easier than breathing, like it was the most natural thing in the world. She'd rather die than part from him. But was she ready to take it to the next level? It felt like a stupid question considering how much she loved him. And just because that one time with Sam had more than majorly sucked, didn't mean it would be the same this time. God, she was confusing herself. "You'll know when it's the right time," said her Aunt, breaking into her thoughts. "Although personally I feel it's your duty to womankind..." Leah instantly relaxed, laughing, and caught Jake's eye across the room. He smiled at her, and she almost melted into a puddle of goo right there and then. She smiled back, feeling warm and fuzzy all the way from her head to her toes. Yeah. She would know. "Oh, you've got it bad," her Aunt grinned. "Well, I'll take your drink and make myself scarce – I'll leave you and Mr. Muscle to it." Before Leah could say anything her glass was plucked from her fingers and her Aunt was gone, off to talk to someone else.

Right on cue Jacob appeared in front of her, hair perfectly ruffled and heart-stopping smile in place. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked, pulling her close.

"Yeah," Leah murmured back. She smiled, brushing her fingertips over his shirt. "You look amazing in a suit," she said. "My Aunts are all eyeing you up, y'know." Jake grinned, leaning down so that their noses brushed.

"Have you seen the looks you've been getting? You look beautiful, and everyone knows it." Leah blushed again, a light pink tinge colouring her cheeks. She closed the gap to press her lips to his, ignoring where they were and forgetting the rest of the world instantly. She really was the luckiest woman in the world.

They parted when applause filled the room, and realised that Sam and Emily had just finished their first dance. Other people were beginning to make their way onto the dance floor as a new song started. "Dance with me?" Jacob whispered in her ear, and his warm hand found her own.

"I don't dance," Leah said. "I don't know how." Jake snorted.

"Nor do I. Can't be that hard, right?" The corners of Leah's mouth turned upwards.

"I guess not." They found a spot between Sue and Charlie and Carlisle and Esme. They shifted easily, Leah's arms winding up around Jake's neck while his hands found her waist and held her close. They relaxed into the steady, soothing beat of the song, and once again everyone and everything else disappeared. They were more happy to just sway to the music rather than actually dance. Leah sighed contentedly as she hid her face in the crook of Jacob's neck, warm breath tickling his skin. "I like this song," she murmured as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Me too," Jake breathed back honestly. "It reminds me of us."

"Why's that?" Leah couldn't help but ask.

For a few moments, he didn't answer. He liked having her so close to him. She was warm and comforting, and he could feel as well as hear her heartbeat through his shirt. His Leah smelt like summer and home, with a hint of perfume. She made everything seem simple, easy, and he knew that things really were going to be okay. The tip of her nose brushed his neck, sending a tingle down to his toes, and he wondered if she felt as totally and utterly complete as he did. Jake lowered his head a little, eyes closing, until he could mumble in her ear. "Because we've both been through so much," he explained, sweeping his lips softly over the exposed skin of her shoulder. He finished off with a light kiss to the skin of her neck, and, miraculously, it didn't seem to tickle her. "But I'm okay with whatever happens to me, because you're all I'll ever need."

The words made Leah's heart skip a beat; she kept her eyes closed against tears that threatened to well up, and instead of letting them get them get the better of her she pressed her lips to the base of his throat. The contact sent a wave of electric heat through them both that had Jacob trying to repress a shiver. "I love you, Lee," he mumbled.

"I love you too, Jake. No matter what happens."

"Always..." Jacob pressed a kiss to her hair and sighed.

"Always."

XXXXXXXXXX

Over by the buffet table, Seth stood with Embry, discussing the lack of single girls their own age at the party. Then Quil appeared out of nowhere, a look of both confusion and horror on his face. "Dude!" he said to Seth, lowering his voice so that no one but the three of them would be able to hear. "I just heard the creepiest thing, Jake and Leah – "

"We know, Quil," said Seth as he downed the rest of his champagne.

"They just – what?" He frowned, deflating slightly. "You know?"

"Jake came and spoke to me first, before he said anything to her."  
"And Seth let it slip to me at the party after Rose and Emmett's wedding."

Quil rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air dramatically. "_Why _am I always last at everything!"

"Not everything," Embry reminded him. "Me and Seth still haven't Imprinted." For a second, Quil was silent, then a sudden thought occurred to him.

"But what about Jake and Leah? What if one of them Imprints?"

"They can't. Something to do with an old, _old_ legend your Dad dug up."

"My _Dad _knows? Okay, that's just not fair." Another pause. "Jacob Black and Leah Clearwater together," he said in a quieter voice.

"The world really is coming to an end."

* * *

**So I wrote the first half of this at two o'clock in the morning, which is probably why I randomly came up with Auntie Cath :L Really hope you liked it, let me know in a review :] I could use something to cheer me up right now :L xxx**


	27. Who Am I

**Okay, so...this Chapter was kinda hard :L Um...I've read it through for mistakes, but I did write most of this at like 3am and I got up early to finish it this morning as well, so I'm pretty tired and I'm really sorry if there's any more mistakes in here :L**

**I also had trouble finding a song for this chapter, went through everything from Secondhand Serenade to Maroon 5 and eventually settled on Will Young. *Hopes nobody hates Will Young* If you do then I guess She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5 might work just as well, but I didn't think it gave the same relaxed feeling to it. Or maybe I'm just overtired and in need of breakfast. I'm kinda interpreting the song as like...this is the last thing to do with either of their past relationships, like Sam's married and Bella's a Vampire and now Leah and Jake can move on completely with each other. So like with the chorus Jake and Leah will never let each other down and stuff, but it wouldn't have been like Sam or Bella to say that and mean it whereas our fav pair can :] I'm rambling :L I'll leave now.**

**Lol, hope you like this Chapter and _please _be nice if it sucks :L**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, but I own Auntie Cath ;]**

* * *

"And who am I to tell you, that I would never let you down,

That no one else could love you, half as much as I do now,

And who am I to tell you, I'll always catch you when you fall..."

Will Young - Who Am I.

* * *

As the night wore on another drinking contest was started – Paul versus Emmett, refereed enthusiastically by Seth. What amused Leah most was how Edward was actually cheering his brother on: there weren't many times that she saw him so...unserious? Jared was the one refilling their glasses, and he raised his eyebrows at Paul with a knowing half-smile. "You're going to regret this, man," he wanted.

"Whose side are you on? I'm defending your dignity here."

"Twenty bucks says you can't last forty shots," Rosalie said to Paul.

"Jared only lasted thirty."

"Quil, that vodka was brutal. It's not my fault."

"You're on, Rose," said Embry. "Another twenty says Emmett gets bored before half eleven."

"Deal."

Most of the other guests had already left, and it was with a happy smile that Leah said goodbye to the last of her distant Uncles. She had to fight a yawn; her feet were beginning to ache and it had been a hectic day. The tiredness was starting to catch up with her. "Tired?" came Jacob's low voice from beside her, and she turned to face him.

"A little," Leah admitted as he wrapped his arms around her. She settled into his warm embrace, resting her head against her chest and closing her eyes. Jake looked down at her and couldn't repress a quiet chuckle.

"Me too," he said. Then, looking around the room, "Maybe we should call it a night. Rach and the girls can handle the tidying up, I'm sure." Jake smiled, kissing the top of her head. "You're practically asleep on your feet. Come on honey, I'll drive you home."

Leah had no energy to protest, so she simply nodded and untangled herself from his arms. She took his hand in her own and led him over to where her mother sat laughing with Billy and Charlie. "We're gonna head home," Leah said. "Does anyone need a ride?"

"I don't mind driving you guys home," said Charlie to Billy and Sue, shrugging. Sue gave her daughter the front door key and after saying goodnight Jake and Leah turned and left.

The car journey was made up of a comfortable silence that neither of them felt the need to break. It wasn't long before Leah had fallen asleep, despite trying her hardest to stay awake. Jake found himself stealing occasional, grateful glances at her as he drove, wishing he could memorise the relaxed peacefulness of her face, the way her lips were just slightly parted, the light rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Truthfully, he didn't think he'd ever get tired of just looking at her. She was so beautiful. And she was _his_.

All too soon he pulled up outside the Clearwater house, and he was forced to wake her. Jake reached over and shook her gently. "Leah? Lee? Baby, we're home." Leah stirred and opened her eyes, looking around blearily.

"Hm?" Jake smiled, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We're home, Lee," he said. Leah looked around. For a second she stared at her house in confusion. Then she remembered, and nodded before undoing her seatbelt. They climbed out of the car and ambled up the porch steps, and Leah unlocked the front door. Leah laced her fingers with Jacob's and led him upstairs, pausing only to drop the key onto the little table by the door.

Less than two minutes later she sat down heavily on her bed in the darkened room. "Today went well," she said, taking her earrings off. Honestly, she didn't think that day could have gone any better. Just a few months ago, before he decided to change, Leah had thought she'd spend Sam and Emily's wedding dwelling on the past. But instead her mind had been occupied with thoughts of the future, and there had been no pain involved when she watched her cousin say her vows and tie herself to Leah's ex-fiancée for the rest of her life. It made the whole situation feel final: it was all over, and now she only had the future to look forward to. Jake nodded his agreement from his position in the doorway, where he was trying to hide a yawn. His eyes widened and he blinked several times, the way you do when you're trying to stay awake. For a moment he reminded Leah ironically of a puppy, and she smiled warmly at him. Jacob moved to take her place when she got to her feet, setting her earrings down on the bedside table and walking to the window to open the curtains.

Shafts of moonlight filtered lazily into the room, lighting up their surroundings enough for them to be able to make out each other's expressions clearly. "I'm just gonna get changed," Leah said as she rummaged around in her drawers. "I'll only be a sec." She disappeared out of the room, and after a few seconds Jake heard the sound of the bathroom light being switched on and the door closing. Jacob ran a hang through his hair and rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the tiredness. It looked like he was going to be staying over at Leah's again, but his Dad would know where he was when he didn't find him at home. He took his jacket off and stood to hang it on the back of the desk chair, loosening his tie as he went so that he could leave it on the seat. Jake undid the top button of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves, instantly feeling a lot better.

A feeling of relaxed peacefulness filled him as he sprawled out on his back on the bed, on the same side as usual. He supposed it was his side, now. For some reason that made all kinds of funny feelings run through him. Barely a minute later he heard the bathroom door open and the click of the light being turned off, and Leah wandered back into the room. She shut the door behind her quietly, crossing the room to her wardrobe. She felt a lot more awake after changing and taking her hair down, and the coldness of the makeup-removal wipes on her skin had helped. Once her dress was hung up carefully on the front of the wardrobe Leah ran her fingers through her hair a few times to try and get it to return to normal, before moving over to where Jake lay.

He'd been on the brink of sleep, but his eyes flickered open when he felt more weight on the mattress and Leah cuddled into him. Jake turned onto his side so that he could look at her and wrapped an arm round her waist to pull her closer. He was about to close his eyes again when he realized that she was only in a black vest top and matching boy shorts. _That _got rid of his tiredness immediately, and he was suddenly wide awake.

Okay, so – Jacob had seen Leah wearing a lot less than that before, with the whole phasing thing. But back then he hadn't been hopelessly in love with her, or lying next to her in the middle of the night in an atmosphere that all of a sudden struck him as kind of romantic. But, as he kept reminding himself, he wasn't going to try anything. It didn't matter how many times the rest of the Pack had asked him when he was going to 'get laid' over the last few hours – which Jake had almost smacked them upside the head for asking. Sam had done it for him instead. They were his friends, so it was only obvious that they'd pester him about it, but he wished they wouldn't phrase it like that. It made it sound like it was just a spur of the moment thing, something people did on a whim out of lust. And he didn't like that idea. Maybe he was old-fashioned; but when he and Leah did take it up a level, he wanted it to be because he loved her and she loved him, because she was ready to, and not because they felt maybe they should for the sake of how long they'd been together.

"Jake?" Leah's soft whisper was enough to pull him out of his thoughts, for which he was grateful. Her eyes fluttered open and found his, holding him in their curious, wondering gaze.

"Yeah?" he murmured back, shifting slightly so he was just a little bit closer. A slight frown crossed Leah's face and she bit her lip, silent. Then she continued.

"Did you...what you said, earlier...did you mean it? About needing me?" Jacob said nothing for a few seconds. Then he moved his arm from around her waist, instead gently pushing a loose strand of her behind her ear.

"Of course I meant it," he whispered. "Why?" Leah's face relaxed and she looked down at the bedcovers beneath them instead, unable to meet his eyes.

"I just..." She sighed, the corner of her mouth turning up in a half-hearted attempt at a smile. "I'm still getting used to the fact that I have you, I guess. The Imprinting thing really took down my self-belief last time round, underneath that tough exterior I put up." Leah finally looked up at him from underneath her lashes, deep brown eyes glinting in the pale moonlight that illuminated her face. "It's still a little hard for me to believe that someone like you could love someone like me, sometimes, much less need me."

Understanding dawned on him, and Jake reached between them to run the pad of his thumb over her lips. "If anything," he began in a low whisper, "it's you that deserves better than me, Lee. You don't know how much I look at you and think about how lucky I am to have you. You're not just beautiful, you're stunning, and you're brave and loyal and incredibly smart. There are just too many things to list. But I love you, Leah, more than anything in the world, and I know it's really soon but I _know _that will never change. And you _are _all I'll ever need, regardless of what happens. As long as I have you, everything will be okay." He leaned in and kissed her then, slow and soft and everything that he felt for her, and Leah was speechless when he pulled away.

Bella had called him '_sort of beautiful'_, once. Another thing she'd been wrong about. Leah smiled at Jacob in the semi-darkness and thought that he was more than beautiful, more than just her sunshine; he was everything, all that made her who she was and without him she would die. "Thank you, Jake," she murmured, and was rewarded with one of his trademark smiles.

"Anytime," he said, and then another wave of warmth rolled through him as she leant forward and kissed him.

At first, there was nothing different about it. But then something changed, something neither of them could put their finger on. Leah's arm moved around him and she pressed closer, until there was barely any space between them. Jake's arm found its place around her waist again and held her tight, and Leah found herself sighing contentedly against his lips.

It wasn't until she'd started undoing the buttons of his shirt that Jacob regained a sense of what he was doing. "Leah," he murmured, voice deeper than he remembered and huskier than he'd intended. "Lee." Leah broke the kiss, opening her eyes. She looked down at her hands and blushed. Then she realised that they'd shifted while they'd been lost, and she was now pinned beneath him with her legs tangled with his. That thought made her blush even more, but that was nothing compared to when she remembered what she was wearing. Jake opened his eyes, resting his forehead against hers and trying to breathe at a normal pace. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to," he said. "I want you to be sure that it's what you want."

Partially distracted by how close he was, it took her mind a second or two to wander back to the conversation with her Aunt that afternoon. She'd been worried about being ready. Her Aunt had said it would happen sooner or later – but was she sure? It seemed like a ridiculously big step. "Lee?" Leah found she'd closed her eyes while she'd been thinking. When she opened them Jake was watching her expectantly, waiting for her answer. She took a moment to study him: he was giving her control of the situation, making sure that it was something she was ready for. He was looking at her with eyes so full of love and patience and understanding that it almost hurt. But Leah knew her answer instantly, and she didn't hesitate when she pressed her lips to his one more time.

"I'm sure, Jake," she murmured, and he visibly relaxed. He'd been so focused on keeping himself in control and not lost in the feel of her skin under his fingertips that he'd been unknowingly tensed up. "I love you," was a whisper that barely escaped her lips, but he heard it and brushed his own lips along her jaw line.

"I love you too, Lee," he mumbled, and it was the absolute truth.

He chuckled quietly at the little noises he caused her to make, which made her blush again. But she didn't mind, not when she realised that she could make him shiver with just the barest of touches, and filed that away for future torture reference. His touch never changed, staying gentle and slow and as passionate as the kisses that left her breathless, hands leaving a burning trail that his lips usually soon followed. Then he was reminding her of how much he loved her, and she began to reply, but the words died on her lips as the world around them stopped and most comprehensible thought vanished.

When they remembered how to breathe again she tried to slow her heartbeat, but it wasn't long before she realised it wasn't going to happen and gave in to the feelings washing over her. She'd never felt so loved before, so needed or wanted. This was something entirely new for her, and she didn't want it to end. With no sense of time anymore, neither was sure how much time had passed, lost in whispered vows and promises and loving brushes of fingertips over skin.

But then there was the moment where words lost all meaning and the rest of the world disappeared as if it was never there. Everything turned to dust and ashes as the stars exploded and the moon faded to blackness, and she knew she'd made the right choice.

* * *

**Seriously, I need sleep. I'm gonna go get a bagel (Y) I really don't think I'm cut out for lemons, so I tried my best with my way of working around it. Sorry if it's bad, I tried :L Any tips would be helpful? Last time you were all so great with your reviews, and I swear I will get round to individually thanking you all one day! xxxx**


	28. I've Fallen For You

**Heyy :] So I know it's only been a couple days but I've literally just finished this chapter and figured I should upload it :P Can't believe the holidays are almost over :( And I've still done barely any homework :L Oops...Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, they were awesome :] I _will _get round to PMing you to thank you but it probably won't be until the fic is over, because I don't want to risk giving anything away :L You have no idea how annoying it is, but the good knews is it's making me write faster :L**

**So it was easier to pick the song for this chapter :L Umm...used to love this song, 'coz I associated it with my best friend. Buttttt it kinda brought back bad memories after he broke my heart and all that shizz (sorry to pinch your word, Pais) but I'm starting to get back into it now :] Figured that it fit, so there was no reason not to use it, really. The real title is "Fallin' For You", but there's already a chapter with that name, so I changed it to "I've Fallen For You." I know, randomness.**

**Aaanyway, hope you enjoy, I'm off to start Chapter 29 while I'm in a writing mood :]**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Twilight, would I be here?**

* * *

"I've been waiting all my life,

And now I've found ya,

I don't know what to do,

I think I'm fallin' for you..."

Colbie Caillat - Fallin' For You.

* * *

When Jacob woke late the next morning, it was to bright sunshine flooding the room, and a warm body pressed against him. He blinked in the sudden burst of light and looked down. Leah had cuddled into his side during the night, and he had tightened his arm around her while he slept. She lay still sleeping with her head resting on his chest and a hand splayed lightly across his abdomen. As he watched she stirred slightly, murmuring something that sounded like his name, but didn't wake.

Jake studied her flawless face and felt his heart swell, a smile coming to his lips. Last night had been...he didn't think there were any words for what it had been like. All he knew was that he hadn't thought the first time he and Leah made love would be like that. It had been more than perfect, more than amazing, and far beyond anything he'd ever thought it was possible to feel.

It easily came top of the list of the best nights of his life. Well, almost. It was a close second, beaten only by the evening a fortnight ago when he had told Leah he'd loved her. It had gone very quickly from the worst moment of his life to the best, when she'd kissed him and said she loved him too. Briefly, Jake wondered what would have happened if that night had never happened. If Leah hadn't worked up the courage to tell him how she felt, or if he'd never let the truth slip in the first place. Leah would be gone, for a start. Lea h would be gone, and he would be a broken mess without her. Which, he supposed, would have meant the Pack would have figured out his feelings sooner.

He would have gone to the weddings alone, too. Sue and Seth would have been furious that Leah had left. And last night would definitely not have happened. Instead of being on an all-time high like he was now, Jacob would have spent every single second of the last two weeks missing her. And probably calling her numerous times, to make her come home, because he couldn't just Alpha command her. He didn't want to be that kind of Alpha. Sighing, Jake glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Almost eleven thirty. The Pack meeting was at two: as much as he wanted to, they couldn't stay in bed for much longer. They'd both want breakfast, and they'd both want to shower, and he had to run home to get a change of clothes.

Jake listened carefully. He could hear his heartbeat, and Leah's, but that was it. Neither Sue or Seth was home. He didn't want to think about what would have happened if Sue had walked past Leah's room and seen him. Sure, she'd been happy that they were together, but he didn't want to risk pushing his luck if he could help it. Inwardly, Jake groaned. His Dad would know. He didn't know how, but Billy Black had a way of just knowing things. Sometimes it was useful, other times it was just plain creepy. There was going to be a truckload of questions waiting for him when he got home from the meeting. Jacob wasn't sure how long he would be gone – he wasn't exactly sure how the whole 'stepping down' thing was going to work, especially seeing as the 'Packs' were pretty much combined anyway – but he was sure his Dad wouldn't let the subject go untouched.

It hit him, then. Alpha. He was going to be Alpha. Not just of Leah and Seth, but of _everyone_. Honestly, the thought irked him a little. He could remember a time not so long ago when he'd been reluctant to even consider being the Alpha, and that had led him to pass the job onto Sam instead. God, so much had changed since then.

Jake looked at the clock one more time before repressing another sigh, knowing they would have to get up. "Lee?" he murmured, hearing a slight change in her heartbeat. Leah whispered something unintelligible. "Leah, we've got to get up." All Leah did was press closer to him.

"Go away Mom," she mumbled. "'S too early." Jake laughed quietly to himself. He gently took the hand that was resting on his chest and kissed her fingertips, then her palm, then worked his way slowly down the inside of her arm to her elbow. Leah's eyes fluttered open.

He grinned at her, kissing her lightly on the end of her nose. "Knew that'd wake you up," he said. Leah smiled, rubbing her eyes before looking to the clock.

"Do we _have _to get up?" she asked, and the reluctance was clear in her tone.

"I don't want to either," said Jake quietly, entwining his fingers with hers. "But this is a meeting we can't afford to miss." Leah let out a small groan of frustration, but nodded.

"Okay." Jacob smiled and press his lips to hers. He pulled away before she could try to deepen the kiss and grinned again, sliding out from underneath her. Leah sat up, hugging the sheet to her – although she supposed there wasn't really much point – and narrowed her eyes at him in mock annoyance as he managed to find his boxers and put them on.

"Tease."

"You love it really," said Jake, winking. Leah rolled her eyes. "Uh, I'm gonna have to run home for some clothes." Jake rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully. "I'll try to be as quick as I can, but chances are Dad's going to corner me." Leah chuckled at the thought of him trying to answer all of Billy's questions. "I don't know what you're laughing at," Jake said. "If Dad knows then he's bound to tell Sue." Her laughter immediately stopped.

_Ah. Mom. Shit._ "Well...she'll either try to ground me," Leah began slowly, chewing her bottom lip while she thought, "...or she'll try to kill me. Either way, I'm technically an adult, which might count for something?"

Jake rolled his eyes. "Let's hope so." He moved forwards and leant down to kiss her again. "I won't be long." He smiled, and then he was gone. Jake closed the bedroom door behind him and Leah sensed him phasing outside just a few moments later. She sighed. It looked like she was just going to have to get up. Leah pushed the sheets off her and got up, going to her drawers for a clean change of clothes and underwear, before heading to the bathroom.

She showered quickly and ran a brush through her hair, pleased that it was long again. Leah pulled on a pair of dark denim shorts and a white vest top. She put on a blue and black lumberjack-style shirt over the top. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbows and held in place with a little popper thing, and she decided to leave it unbuttoned. She rummaged around for her black converse to finish the outfit off and then headed downstairs to start on breakfast before Jake got back. It wasn't until Leah went to the fridge in search of eggs that she caught sight of the note on the kitchen counter out of the corner of her eye. She retrieved the eggs and set them down on the side, picking up the note. Leah recognised the handwriting immediately. The message was written on a piece of scrap paper in familiar, scruffy writing, and she couldn't help but smile.

_Sis,_

_There is no way in Hell that I'm going upstairs. I don't want to know anything, but Jake's scent is really strong so I know he's up there with you again. Don't want to know. I crashed at Embry's, and as far as I know Mom stayed at Charlie's (I know. It's too gross to even think about.) But me and the rest of the guys are going over to Emily's. I'll see you at the meeting._

_Love,_

_Seth._

_P.S: Just tell me you didn't leave your bedroom door open? Coz what if Mom comes home and walks past and...oh God, _images!

Leah chuckled and crumpled the note, throwing it in the trash so her Mom wouldn't find it. She wouldn't be happy about her children discussing her sex life. She started with making the breakfast, smiling to herself and wondering if Billy had managed to catch Jake. It was a good thing Jacob's Dad was so laid back. She just hoped he wouldn't say anything to Sue about it.

She'd just finished with making a mountain of fried eggs on toast when Jake came back, and she deposited his plate in front of him with a smile. "Good timing," she said as she sank into a chair next to him at the kitchen table. "Did Billy corner you?"

"Unfortunately." Jake rolled his eyes, taking a bite of his toast.

"And...?"

"He got it out of me," said Jake, smiling sheepishly. "He said he could see it on my face, and I guess I must have looked guilty or something. But he found the whole thing hilarious. He just smiled and laughed and then smiled some more and went back into the living room to watch the game."

Leah had braced herself for the worst, but now she found herself smiling widely. She only hoped her Mom would have a similar reaction if – or, with the people they knew, it was more like _when _– she found out. "Yeah," Leah said with a small chuckle. "That sounds like Billy."

* * *

**Sorry that it's shorter than the last couple of chapters have been :L Next one will be longer, I promise :] Keep those reviews coming guys, you have no idea how much it brightens my day :D You're _all _officially on my list of Awesome People ;] :] xxxx**


	29. Fire and Rain

**Phew. Finally managed to get this chapter finished :] My IT teacher would kill me if she knew I was doing this instead of coursework, but ah well, there's still most of the afternoon left :L I'll try to keep updating whenever I can, and I have _finally _planned out every chapter from now on until the end. I've known how the last few chapters of this fic were going to go for a while, but it was filling in the middle that I had trouble with. But now it's done, and I'll be working my butt off to keep up with it :] I'm also waaaayyy excited because Sweet Escape got nominated for the Best Blackwater Story award! :D It's my first nomination so I have _no idea _how most of it works, or how I even got nominated, but if it was you guys who got me there then I officially love you all to pieces! ^^ Thankyou :D**

**And thanks for the reviews for last chapter too, they were awesome :] And the ones for my oneshot Breakeven, they were just amazing to be honest, they made me so happy :] If there's anything you're confused about, I promise it'll all come together and will all be explained by the end! I'd like to be able to PM you to answer your questions but I daren't, in case I say too much :L Anyway, on with the chapter :]**

**Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to review :] We've officially hit 270 reviews and almost 26,400 hits! :P :D You awesome, _awesome people _;] Let's keep 'em coming! :]**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: One more time - S. Meyer owns Twilight :L . **

* * *

"Do you ever think about me? Do you ever call my name?

Ask me now and I'll give you the reasons,

My love will not fade,

Through the fire and rain, the fire and rain."

Mat Kearney - Fire and Rain.

* * *

Leah and Jake walked to the clearing where the meeting was being held instead of phasing. The going was tough in some places and Leah had to watch her footing where tree root jutted out, but it was more fun than simply phasing and running there. It took them a lot longer than it would have in wolf form, but it gave them time to talk and laugh as Jake held Leah's hand tight and helped her through the rough parts at the edge of the forest. Surprisingly, the further in they got the smoother the terrain became, and it was easier for them to work their way through the trees without stumbling. "You should probably know," began Leah as they reached the clearing, finding it empty, "chances are Seth's going to be giving you weird looks." Jake laughed, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her.

"How come?" Leah relaxed into his embrace, smiling contentedly.

"He left a note for me this morning. Said he crashed at Embry's last night, but when he came home your scent was really strong so he knew you were upstairs. I think he _knows _what happened." She chuckled lightly as she looked up at him. "I'm starting to think he may really have psychic instincts, y'know." Jacob just smiled at her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Well, I won't blame him if he goes all protective little brother on us," he said.

"Remember when Paul Imprinted on Rach? That 'protective little brother' was you, O mighty Alpha of La Push." Leah had to hold back another laugh at the look on Jake's face.

"I keep telling myself that this is what's best for everyone, but somehow I'm still not looking forward to it. I mean, it just feels...kinda wrong to give orders to people I grew up with. Like I'm their boss, or something."

"Jake, you already are an amazing Alpha – and me and Seth know that you're just doing your job. We don't feel like you boss us around or anything. You've never called Alpha command on us. You always give us a choice. You're just gonna have a bigger Pack is all. You'll do great."

"Thanks, Lee...I hope you're right."

Leah snorted and looked up at him. "Jacob Black, if there's one thing you should know about me by now, it's that I'm always right."

"True," agreed Jake with a laugh. "You _are_ always right."

"Now, see – I beg to differ." Their few moments of peaceful solitude were interrupted as Quil came out of the trees, closely followed by Paul. "You said I wasn't good-looking, but admit it, you were checking me out when we all first phased." Leah rolled her eyes as she and Jacob reluctantly broke their embrace.

"Shut up, Quil."

"Oh come on, we both know it's true." She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow challengingly at Quil's mischievous grin, daring him to press the topic further. Thankfully he took the hint and dropped the subject with a wink.

Jake chuckled and put an arm around Leah, and she relaxed, smiling again. "So it's true," began Paul. He studied Jake's arm with curiosity etched on his face. "You two really are together?" Jacob honestly tried not to let a frown cross his face, and was pretty sure he succeeded. Since Leah and Paul had made up after that last horrendous fight they'd been pretty civil to each other, but he's seen too many of their arguments to not recognise an opportunity for Paul to start one. He nodded, giving a small smile. But it was Leah who spoke up.

"Yeah," she said, smile never faltering. "Took you guys long enough, it's been almost three weeks." Jake half-expected Paul to make some kind of jab back, but to his surprise he only shook his head. He was smiled slightly, arms folded across his chest. But then his expression turned to one of disbelieving horror, and he covered his face with his hands.

"Oh _no_," he groaned, voice muffled slightly. "One day, if you two get married, I'm going to have Leah Clearwater for a sister-in-law!"

"Wait, does that mean I'll be your brother-in-law?" Seth stepped into the clearing, Sam, Jared and Embry close behind him. Colin and Brady followed not a moment later. "Hey, that means half of us will be related!"

"God help us."

"Thanks man, love you too."

"Nice Quil, nice."

"I'm just saying!" said Quil, holding his hands up in front of him. "You're all going to be one heck of a dysfunctional family, and the rest of us are going to have to put up with it."

"Who's to say that you other five aren't going to be a part of the 'dysfunctional family' too?" Leah said, grinning evilly. "Then we'll all be one big happy family unit."

"Speaking of units, shouldn't we get down to business?" Sam's tone was serious, but the corner of his mouth was turned upwards in an amused smile. "We're practically one Pack anyway, so we might as well make things less complicated and make it official." Everyone now stood in a rough circle in the middle of the clearing, looking from Sam to Jacob expectantly.

"How is it going to work?" asked Embry. "Like...do we have to do anything complicated or what?" Sam shrugged.

"I went through all the old legends with Quil's Dad and managed to find one. It's simple. I just have to renounce my title as Alpha of my pack, and then we all have to accept Jake as our new Alpha."

"Right."

"Mmhm."

"'Kay." An awkward, confused silence fell over them all.

"So, um...everyone ready?" There were several 'yes's and 'sure's. Jake wanted to say no. There was no way he was ready to be Alpha of La Push, to be responsible for all of them. It was times like this that he remembered he was only 18 years old, even if he knew he was a man now. But then, he thought, he hadn't been ready to let Bella go, but he'd had to, and that had turned out great. It had brought him closer to Leah. And a few months later he hadn't been ready to tell Leah he was in love with her, but he had, and that had worked out amazingly. Who was to say that this wouldn't work out just as well? So he found himself nodding firmly along with Leah, and tried to forget all the 'what if's. "Okay...right..."

Sam cleared his throat and stood up a little straighter. Then he spoke again. "I, Samuel Uley," he began in a clear, confident voice, "hereby renounce my title of Alpha, and instead pass on all responsibilities and...stuff...to Jacob Black." The way to step down was so simple, he almost didn't expect it to work. But no sooner had the statement left his lips then he felt deflated, emptier somehow as the power of the Alpha position drained out of him. To check, he tried to summon the energy and feeling that made an Alpha command possible. He couldn't. Jake, meanwhile, was feeling...weird. He had doubted the simplicity of the whole thing too, in the back of his mind.

But he could feel Sam's Alpha abilities transferring into him and combining with his own, and he knew it was working. He still wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. It filled him with a kind of internal glow, reminding him of the feeling he got when he was with Leah. But that was love, and this was power, and they were two completely different things. Although...were they, really, so different? Wasn't love about giving someone the power to make or break you, and trusting them not to? A quiet, intrigued question from Seth brought him out of his thoughts. "Well? Did it work?" Sam and Jake looked at each other. Sam's face now bore a smile of relief, and Jake couldn't believe that it had finally happened.

"Yeah," he answered. "Yeah, it did." Everyone visibly relaxed. Leah reached for his hand and found it, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze as the tension evaporated from him. He hadn't even realised he'd been tense in the first place, let alone notice that the others were all on edge too.

"Well, I guess I follow you now, Jake." This came from Paul, who even managed another smile. The clearing filled with voices as one by one the others all agreed with him. Even Seth and Leah. 'To be on the safe side', they said. Eventually everything was over. Jacob was Alpha, Leah was Beta, and they had redistributed patrols so that they all got more free time. Seth, Colin and Brady would be able to finish high school, Sam could spend more time with Emily, and likewise Quil, Paul and Jared with _their_ Imprints. Jake and Leah could be together even more often and Embry toyed with the idea of getting a job. Or a cat.

"It's not fair," he said sadly, throwing his hands up in the air. "What am I going to do when all you guys are at school or with your other halves?"

"Get a hobby?" suggested Quil.

"Get a job, instead of just talking about it?" put in Seth.

"You'll find something, Em," said Paul, patting his friend on the shoulder. Embry rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"If I take up knitting, I want you to all to kill me."

"Already planned it man."

"On the bright side," said Embry, running a hand through his hair. "At least Mom won't try to ground me as much."

"You might as well just tell her what's going on, Embry," Jake said. "It'd make things easier for you both." The next half an hour was spent agreeing on minute changes they'd make to the running of things, before they finally called the meeting to an end.

"Right," began Sam, smiling. "I'd better run. Plane to catch and all that."

"Tell Em I said hi," said Leah. They all parted ways after that. Sam went to pack for his honeymoon while Jared and Paul went to find Kim and Rachel. Quil had to babysit Claire, Colin and Brady disappeared off to wherever it was they went nowadays, and Seth and Embry headed back to the Clearwater house for their usual date with junk food and the Xbox.

Leah looked up at Jacob when the others were gone and smiled warmly at him. "I'm proud of you," she said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. "Really, I am." She was happy, too. Incredibly happy. Now that Sam and Emily were married, Leah could let go of that part of her life fully, and she didn't plan on looking back. They were one Pack now, too, which made things a lot easier. She could find herself a hobby or something now that she wasn't patrolling as much, and that might open up a whole new world of opportunities for her. Or maybe not. That was a decision she had time to think over.

The Pack knew about her and Jake, and they were _happy _for them. Thoroughly freaked out – that was always something she had expected - but pleased. Things would be able to settle down again, and she was looking forward to it. All she had to do now was stop her Mom from trying to castrate Jacob.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Leah got home later that night, she found Sue sitting in the living room watching TV. "Hey, sweetie," she said, not taking her eyes off the screen as her favourite cop solved yet another gruesome murder.

"Hey, Mom."

"No Jake?"

"Uh...no..." Leah frowned in confusion and ran a hand through her hair to try and tame it, thinking. "Um, Mom, you...you haven't, uh...spoken to Billy today, have you?" Sue didn't even look up.

"Me? No honey, I haven't even seen him since last night." Leah relaxed. Thank God.

"Ah. Good. Cool. I'm uh...gonna go upstairs. It's late and all..." For a moment, she stood there awkwardly. She hoped Sue wasn't picking up on it, because if she did then she would definitely know something was up, and there would be questions. "'Night, Mom," Leah said finally, and started for the stairs. She heard her Mom call a goodnight after her.

She was all of a sudden very tired by the time she reached the top of the stairs, and Leah couldn't wait to just crawl into bed and sleep. Or maybe she'd just flop down on the covers and pass out. That idea sounded more appealing. That way she wouldn't have to bother with getting changed or anything that would delay a chance for her to shut her eyes.

Leah was standing in front of her bedroom door before she noticed. From the door handle hung a large, red sign that blared _Do Not Disturb! _in big, white letters. For a second she could only stare in horror. Then she groaned in frustration. "_Mom!_" she yelled, pulling the sign off the handle and flipping it over. The other side read _Free_. Oh, somebody was going to die. "Mom, you're not even funny!" Leah shouted down the stairs.

But all she could hear from the living room were her mother's futile attempts to smother her fits of laughter.

* * *

**Hehehe, couldn't resist that last bit :L Okay, I'd better get some homework done before my teachers all kill me. Don't forget to review and let me know what you think :] Until next time (which won't be too long! :P) Toodles ;] xxxx**


	30. Anywhere But Here

**Woo, Chapter Thirty! :D School has been _crazy_, but I've been writing bits and pieces of this before I go to sleep and before I have to leave for school in the mornings :L So gradually it's come together, and it'll probably be the same for the next chapter haha :L It's Friday tomorrow though, _finally_! :] Okay, so...this chapter has a bit of a time jump :] All the reviews for last chapter were awesome, thankyou! :] Right, I'd better get this uploaded and then try and make a start on Chapter 31 while I can.**

**Hope you enjoy! :P**

**Em xx**

**P.S: Randomness, but...I love the song for this chapter :L ^^ x**

**Disclaimer: Aaaaand again...S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"'Cause you are beautiful inside, so lovely and I,

Can't see why I'd do anything without you, you are,

And when I'm not with you, I know that it's true,

That I'd rather be anywhere but here without you..."

Safetysuit - Anywhere But Here.

* * *

**...ONE AND A HALF MONTHS LATER...**

Leah Clearwater stood at her kitchen window, looking out across the driveway. The sun was just about managing to break through the layer of thick clouds, and that made her smile as she sipped her coffee. Sue was out – shopping in Port Angeles with Charlie. Seth was at Embry's again. They were the only two wolves who hadn't Imprinted and didn't have a girlfriend or boyfriend to spend all their time with, which meant they often hung out together and were quickly becoming best friends. She was usually the only Clearwater home, now. But she didn't mind. She wasn't often alone, and for that she was grateful.

Right on cue Leah felt a pair of warm arms slip around her waist. She tried to hide her now huge smile with the coffee mug by taking another sip, but that didn't quite work. "Happy two month anniversary," Jacob murmured in her ear, smiling. Leah had to hold back a quiet chuckle. He'd been giving her weekly updates on how long they'd been together for the last month. Had it been anyone else she'd have found it annoying – but it was Jake, and it was kind of adorable to see him so excited over such a small detail. Leah shook her head slowly and set her mug down on the kitchen counter, turning in his arms to face him.

"Do you have any idea how cute it is that you've been keeping track down to the hours?"

"So I'm cute now, am I?" Jake grinned mischievously at her, and she rolled her eyes. Leah brushed her nose against his and Jake leaned into to close the gap with another one of his searing kisses. _Still think I'm cute now, Lee?_

When he pulled back he deliberately changed the subject instantly, almost laughing at her dazed expression. "We should do something tonight," he said. Leah stared at him blankly, trying to regain her focus.

"Huh?" She was having trouble remembering everything that had happened since five minutes ago. _Why am I even in the kitchen anyway? What day is it? Ohhhhhh...Oh! _"You wanna do something?"

"We should, two months is a big thing. Well, I think it is." Leah rolled her eyes again.

"Jake, every day is a big thing for you. I mean, these last couple of months with you have been the best of my life, but...I swear the outside world still thinks we're crazy." She giggled to herself at the thought of how the rest of La Push had taken their being together.

The Pack and their parents had been pleased, if a little horrified, but the rest of the Reservation was still in a state of shock. Half of the boys in La Push were jealous of Jacob, while the other half were refusing to acknowledge his existence. Meanwhile the entire female population of the Rez was devastated that Jacob Black was no longer single, and threw Leah so many murderously envious looks that she was surprised they hadn't all turned green. And the rumours, well...she'd never known so much about herself. If she was honest, she found the whole thing hilarious. "I don't care, I _am _crazy," said Jake, and ducked down to sweep his lips along her jaw line and down her neck. "Pleeeeaaaasseeeee, Lee?" he mumbled, knowing she was caving as soon as she tilted her head further back. "We can do whatever you want, promise. Even if it's just pizza and the Spongebob Squarepants Movie."

Leah bit her lip. How? _How _did he know her weaknesses so well? "Fine," she agreed, and couldn't help pouting with disappointment when he pulled away to beam at her in victory.

"Awesome," he said, pecking her on the lips. Leah resisted another eye-roll.

"How are the guys?" she asked curiously. She hadn't really spoken to anyone else from the Pack in the last couple days, except for her brother. Jake shrugged.

"They're all fine, I guess. Apart from Embry. He's dying of boredom. Talking about going away somewhere for the weekend." She smiled, remembering Embry's many complaints about having nothing to do when the others were with their 'other halves' and Seth, Colin and Brady were in school.

"Bless him," she said, and then a little frown crossed her face. "I hope he's not too lonely."

"You're so adorable when you frown like that," mumbled Jake with a grin, and another kiss. "I'm sure Embry's alright. Now, present time!" Leah groaned.

"Jacob Black, I thought we agreed we wouldn't spend money on each other? All I want is you, you know that."

"Don't worry, I remembered, so I made you something instead. Close your eyes and hold out your hand." Leah did as she was told, relieved he hadn't forked out specially to get her something. She felt something drop into the palm of her hand, and her eyes fluttered open when he gave the okay.

Leah stared at the small object she held in her hand, speechless. The little oval-shaped locket was wooden, light, and beautiful. She picked it gently up and ran her thumb over the surface, peering at it closely in amazement: the back was smooth, the chain cool between her fingers – but the front had been delicately engraved with unbelievable neatness. The letters "L" and "J" had been carefully carved into the wood in fancy, elegant lettering, with a little "+" sign in between. A tiny trail of paw prints weaving up one side. She very gently prised it open and couldn't help but beam. In one side was a good-quality zoom in of the picture she had in her room, of her and Jake as children. In the other side was another photo of them smiling together, this one more recent, taken the day before Emily's wedding when they'd been at the beach. It must have taken him _forever_.

"Oh, Jake," she breathed, looking up. He smiled at her tentatively, wondering if she liked it, but had his question answered when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "It's beautiful," Leah said. "I love it, thank you so much." She let go to let him undo the clasp for her and put it on, before returning her arms to their previous place around his neck. She kissed him once more, mumbling another earnest thank you. Leah bit her lip at his bemused smile, deciding to get her revenge and take advantage of his muddled state. "I got you a present too, y'know," she said. Jacob raised an eyebrow, still slightly dazed and smiling.

"What happened to 'no spending money'?" he asked.

"Well, _technically_," began Leah, moving her hands to rest against his chest so she could trace shapes on his shirt with one hand, "I spent money on myself, on your behalf...?" she could see the curiosity burning in his eyes, and tried not to laugh. Or blush. "I'd kinda have to _show _you...I remembered what you said, about baby blue looking great on me." Jake just stared at her in shock. She made her voice go husky, looking up at him from underneath her lashes and thinking back to all of _his _weaknesses when it came to persuasion. "I mean, I really _would _like a second opinion..."

Jake tried to keep a sly smile from creeping onto his face, and failed miserably. "I don't know..." he murmured slowly. "I mean, I feel terrible for the sign."

"Oh, me too. All the other times...blatant abuse of the sign."

"Yeah, I don't think your Mom intended for the sign to have such a busy lifestyle."

"Definitely not. We really shouldn't, for the sign's sake."

"..."

"..."

"How long did Sue say she was going to be again?"

"At least a good few hours."

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, why this particular spot?" Leah shrugged, sitting down beside him on the grass. She hugged her knees to her chest, looking out across the sea and the inky blackness of the surface.

"It's got a lot of memories, I guess." She paused as Jake wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she moved closer to lean on him. "I mean, the last time we were here at night, everything was different. Really, badly different. Last time we were here, you'd just found out about Bella getting married, and I came here to help but only managed to make it worse." Jacob looked around, and found that they really were sitting on the cliff top he had come to to mope darkly about Bella so long ago. Overhead the night sky was dotted with countless little stars, winking slightly like tiny lights. Jake looked back at Leah. She was pressing into his warmth on the oddly chilly night. Her hair was past her shoulders now, a few tendrils that framed her face stirring in the breeze. It hid most of her expression, but he knew her well enough to know that she was thinking back to those bad times.

"We were young," he said, tightening his hold on her just a fraction and kissing the top of her head. "We still are. We'd both been through a lot, and we didn't know any better." Leah sighed, closing her eyes.

"I know," she mumbled quietly. "But sometimes...I just can't help but wonder what would have happened if things hadn't changed. If you hadn't fallen out of love with Bella, and I had stayed cynical and nasty." It was a while before Jacob replied. He understood completely how she felt – he sometimes thought about the 'what if's too, but tried not to dwell on it. He hated the idea of Imprinting being an act of Fate, because over the past few months he'd really started to believe in the whole 'what is meant to be will be' thing, and Imprinting just didn't seem right to him.

"Things would have changed," he murmured finally. "It would have taken longer, but they would have changed." Leah made a noise of acknowledgement, but he could tell she didn't believe him. Jake shifted slightly so he could pull her gently onto his lap, holding her more effectively in his arms. Leah rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart beneath her ear and letting it calm her. "For starters, I wouldn't have fallen _out _of love with Bella – I was never _in _love with her." He smiled at the confused look Leah gave him and continued in a low whisper, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. "I was a kid. I loved her, but it wasn't the kind of love I thought it was. I'd still have realised that, sooner or later. You still would have healed."

"But...do you honestly believe that?" Her voice was uncertain, almost afraid. It stunned him that she would believe even for a second that she didn't really mean everything to him.

"Completely, Lee. We're meant to be, remember? No matter what happened, I would still have fallen in love with you, whether it took an extra month or a year or even ten years. There still would have been a day when I turned around and said, 'What the Hell am I doing? Leah Clearwater's the girl for me!'" That seemed to reassure her. She relaxed, melting further into his embrace, and sighed again contentedly.

"I still would have fallen for you," she whispered. "It might have taken me a while, but it would have happened." Leah looked up at him, anxiety suddenly written on her face. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Jake. Without you, I...I just...I couldn't..." She trailed off. There were no words to describe what her life would be like without him in it.

But Jake understood what she was trying to say. He nodded, heart aching; he didn't even want to imagine a life without her. He ran his thumb over the delicate carvings in the locket she wore around her neck – she swore she was never going to take it off. Except maybe for showers, so that the photos weren't damaged – and tried to calm her with quiet words of promise. It worked. Leah relaxed again, and smiled to herself. She was so lucky to have him.

So, so lucky.

* * *

**Some fluffiness there for you guys :] And what's this? :O Embry's thinking of going away? _Say what!_ Hehe, you'll have to wait and find out ;] Don't forget to review, it gives me hope that my writing isn't completely terrible :L xxxx**


	31. Superman

**...Fanfiction Addicts? Anybody out there? *Echoes* :(...Aro, give me back my readers! Lol, feels like lots of you have disappeared :L It's okay though, I mean I'm not expecting you all to be here seeing as the holidays are over :L :] Sorry this chapter is shorter than the others have been recently, but don't worry, next chapter is probably going to be a lot longer! :L You'll see why :P Not sure why I picked this song either...but it just seemed to fit with the mood and reminded me of them all :D I know, I'm insane :L**

**Anywhoo, it's like six minutes to midnight and I've gotta go, so I hope you like this chapter :] **

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: owns Twilight...obviously :L.**

* * *

"If I could be your superman,

I'd fly you to the stars and back again,

'Cause every time you touch my hand,

You feel my powers running through your veins..."

Joe Brooks - Superman.

* * *

The days seemed to go a little quicker after that. Claire's Mom took her on holiday, leaving Quil a little lost. Embry was still mindlessly bored and still looking for a hobby. Leah, meanwhile, was feeling nostalgic and Jake thought it might be a good idea to actually go home for the day, so one way or another they all ended up sitting in his garage, watching him work on his latest car. Quil sat next to Leah on the ratty old sofa against the wall, wondering if it was maybe time he got a girlfriend – a real one, and not a two-year-old Imprint. Leah herself was agreeing with him and flicking through a magazine on car parts on an attempt to understand why Jake found the whole thing interesting. Embry, however, was sitting on the work surface on the other side of the room.

He sat next to the tool box and obediently passed Jacob the tools he asked for, but his mind was elsewhere. "Just like old times," he said, turning a tiny wrench around in his fingers. Leah sighed and put the magazine down, holding back an amused snigger at how much oil Jake had managed to get on his shirt.

"Remember when we were little?" she asked, thinking back. It seemed so long ago now. Quil smiled at the memories and decided maybe he didn't really need a girlfriend right now. He'd missed spending time with his friends too much.

"Yeah," he answered. "We all used to hang out here after school and on weekends." Jake snorted. He got up, wiping his hands on a clean-ish rag.

"Only because you all wanted me to fix your bikes," he said, shaking his head with an amused smile.

"Yeah, but I seem to remember you doing a pretty good job on mine." Leah was rewarded with a dazzling smile that made her heart stop and a pinkish tinge appear on her cheeks.

"Those were good times," said Embry, smiling too now.

"It's weird how everything can change," murmured Quil. "Here we are, back in here again after so long, but everything's different."

"Just a tad," put in Leah, and then fell silent. The others said nothing for a few minutes troo, thinking back to the days when legends were still just legends, love was a prince coming to save you or a princess to go and save, and girlfriends and boyfriends were something icky and not to be sought. But then Embry broke the silence.

"Guys," he said, regarding the wrench in his hand seriously. "I'm going to Vegas." Leah almost cricked her neck when she looked up at him.

"Vegas," she repeated, and it sounded more like a statement than a question. "You want to go to Vegas?" Embry set the wrench down, glancing round at them all in that shy way of his.

"Just for the weekend. I mean, I'm bored out of my mind. I could use a change, even if it's just for a couple of days." Quil cocked his head to one side as a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

"Vegas, huh?" He nodded slowly. "Y'know, I've always wanted to go there."

"Quil, you need serious psychiatric help if you think you'll be able to pick up a girl," said Leah. "Your lines are terrible. I'm going to have to watch you like a hawk."

"You mean...you'll come with me?" Embry wasn't quite sure what to make of that. He hadn't been particularly looking forward to wandering around the city on his own, but...the four of them, plus Seth – because he would _insist _on coming, 16 years old or not – in an unknown city miles away from home? That was just asking for trouble. Leah snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Embry, do you really think we wouldn't?"

"She has a point," agreed Jake. "Someone has to look after you, being as quiet as you are." Embry was about to argue that he wasn't _that _shy, but stopping himself. He kind of was. At least, he was around people he didn't know, and in Vegas he wouldn't know anyone. So instead he just smiled.

"You sure? I mean, us four and Seth in Vegas? That's just an open invitation for all kinds of crazy stuff to happen."

"Well, I guess I don't really have a choice on taking Seth," murmured Leah. "He'll nag me to death to let him come." Quil laughed as Leah put on a voice that was a good impression of Seth's and waved her hands around. "Oh, please let me come Leah!" she mimicked. "Don't make me tell Mom!" She chuckled, sighing. "He's a good kid," she said. "But I suppose things are still bound to be crazy."

"We could all use some crazy right now," said Jake, grinning. "I vote we go."

"Count me in," said Embry barely a second later. Quil grinned and whooped excitedly.

"Vegas, here we come!"

"Keep your hair on Quil, we have to get there first."

"We could take my car?" offered Leah.

"Five werewolves and their bags, Lee. Five werewolves and their bags."

"Point taken."

"Even if we get there, how are we going to pay for everything?" asked Quil. "I mean, I've got some money saved up, but it can't be cheap, right?"

"We'll be fine if we all chip in," Embry assured him.

"So you're really serious about this?" Leah asked, raising her eyebrows. She'd been half-joking about the car thing. "You really think we should just pack up and go to Vegas this weekend? Just like that?" Jake shrugged.

"Why not? It's about time we did something more spur of the moment again."

"So, when do we leave?" asked Quil, and Leah was surprised he wasn't jumping up and down in excitement.

"Friday, I guess," said Embry, hopping down off the work surface. He was smiling broadly at them all. Finally, he was going to get to do something awesome with his friends again. "If we leave in the morning we'll get there by that night."

"I'm totally going home to pack!" announced Quil.

"I'll sort transport," Jacob said. "I've got an idea."  
"Guess that means I'll be bringing lunch then."

"I'll try and look up hotel stuff," said Embry. Quil cheered and jumped to his feet.

"Woo! We're actually going to Vegas!"

"Awesomeness and trouble awaits."

"I think this is actually the best idea I've ever had!"

"I think you're all insane," muttered Leah, but she supposed there was nothing else for it. "Fine. We go. But none of you are drinking, especially Seth. And God help you if you take him anywhere near a roulette wheel." Jake stooped to kiss her on the cheek.

"Aye aye, captain," he said with a mock salute and a smile.

Leah resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. It looked like she wouldn't have to worry about what she was going to do this weekend anymore. Now all she had to do was pack, make enough food to last the car journey, and somehow convince her Mom to let Seth go _and _pull him out of school Friday.

Still, Leah couldn't help but let her mind wander as she attempted to understand the magazine on car parts once more, blocking out the excited conversation Embry, Quil and Jake were having. She _had _always wanted to go to Vegas. She hadn't really intended to just go out of the blue, but Jake was right. It had been a while since they'd done something on the spur of the moment. It would be good to get some spontaneity back in all their lives. Besides, it was freakin' _Vegas_! She had some savings, and a weekend of clubbing, gambling and who knew what else was starting to sound pretty good. Sure, she'd have to stay with Jacob and beat off other girls with a stick – she trusted him, but she sure as Hell didn't trust random strange women around him – but hey, any time with him was great.

It was only then that Leah realised it was a Wednesday. If they were going this weekend then...they were going the day after tomorrow? She looked up from the magazine, intending to suggest they put the trip off until the following weekend. But when she saw just how much the guys were looking forward to it, she couldn't bring herself to burst their bubble. _I suppose I'll just have to pack ASAP..._Leah sincerely hoped that this was spur of the moment enough for them. But she couldn't lie – she was excited, too. Still surprised from the sudden decision to go, but excited. It was just one weekend of craziness, and then they'd come home back to normality. Leah almost snorted when she registered what she had just thought. _Since when has anything ever been normal around here_?

Still. One gambling city miles away from home. Two days and nights there where anything could happen. Three or more potential hours of convincing her Mom to let Seth go, because it wouldn't be fair to leave him at home. Four guys with her for a day's journey there and back. Five werewolves on a random trip to Las Vegas.

What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

**I know, I know. :L Vegas! But it ties in with something a _lot _later on, and it'll make sense eventually :] Next chapter will be the journey so it'll be longer :L Five werewolves stuck with each other for a day? Not good! :P As usual, love, like or hate it? Let me know what you think and let me know you're alive at the same time :P xxxx**

**Also, today was a sad day for me :( Sept. 13th 1996 - 14 years since 2Pac died :(**

**I know, it's random :L But he's my idol so I can't help but feel a little sad :L ANYWAYS. Must dash :] Love you all, and seriously, thanks for sticking with me for so long! :L xxxx**


	32. Helium Hearts

**Hey! Omg, sorry this took so long! I've been so busy at school it's unbelievable :/ We've got more exams _and _all this College stuff now. Picking A-Levels is driving everyone crazy and we've got enough homework this half-term to last us until we're retired :L Plus, as I said in my A/N for 'For The First Time' (Thanks, by the way, to everyone who's reviewed that! You're awesome :D) I've been having eyesight problems and then I've been ill and all this other stuff that's just built up to delay the update. Hopefully I'll be able to get the next chapter out a lot faster!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, you rock! :D And a huge, HUGE thanks to Itzy for the help, this chapter would be rubbish otherwise! :]**

**Inspiration for this chapter, an incredibly happy song by the amazing Jason Reeves :P**

**Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think :]**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Otherwise, they would have gone to Vegas at some point ;D :L.**

* * *

"'Cause we're on fire, walking love's highest burning wire,

Helium hearts, we're falling skyward,

We're never coming down,

We're so high the city below gets small and quiet,

Every breath just makes us lighter,

We're never coming down..."

Jason Reeves - Helium Hearts.

* * *

"Seth! Have you got everything?" Seth Clearwater rolled his eyes.

"Not that I have much to take, but yeah, I've got everything."

"Right. Okay. Right."

"Lee, calm down," he said as his sister ran a hand through her hair and tried to think of anything she could have possibly forgotten. "It's only Vegas. It'll be fine."  
"That's what you say now," muttered Leah, but she took the hint. She supposed she should calm down. But then, she was the oldest one of all of them. People were going to be mad at _her _if anything happened to any of them. Leah sighed. "Let's just make sure we've got our passports and everything. We need to be at the Cullens' in an hour."

Sometimes, she really feared for the vampire family's sanity. Apparently – and this was according to Jake's phone call last night – as soon as Edward found out about Vegas from his thoughts, he'd told the rest of his family. And they'd insisted on pitching in. "Come on then sis," said Seth, shrugging on his hoodie. "We'd better get going."

"Oh, you be careful, both of you!" Sue fussed. She hugged her two children tightly to her, and it took Leah a moment to prise her mother off.

"We will, Mom," she said, and tried to sound reassuring as she attempted to free Seth as well. "We'll be back late Sunday night, so don't wait up."

It took another five minutes, but eventually their goodbyes were said and Sue let them go. They dropped their duffel bags and Leah's hand luggage bag in the backseat of the car and Leah did one more mental checklist of their things. "So, how is this all going to work?" asked Seth as Leah finally gave up and pulled out of the driveway.

"The Cullen's insisted on helping," Leah sighed. "Jake says they pulled some strings, got us last-minute places on a flight to the big International Airport about a mile from the Vegas Strip. _And_," she added with a roll of her eyes, "they've paid for two rooms at a hotel as well as transport around."

"And that's a bad thing _how_?" Seth grinned. "You didn't ask them to do it. Besides, we might as well go to Vegas in style, right?"

"I guess." Leah glanced at her brother and couldn't help but smile too; sometimes she really didn't know whether to be annoyed or happy that his smile was so infectious. "It'll be something to tell the others about when we get home," she said, trying to get into the spirit of things. "Unless we get lost, of course." Seth chuckled.

"Are you kidding? Quil may be bad with girls, but one thing he's good for is tracking down decent bars. He can spot one a mile away."

"I don't even want to know how you know that," Leah said. She shook her head, but continued to smile. It looked like her little brother had also inherited the famous Clearwater rebellious streak. Except, she doubted very much that anyone would ask any of the guys for I.D, whereas when _she _had been trying to sneak into clubs she'd nearly always gotten caught. Even Seth, who was only 16, looked old enough to get into a club without any questions. "Just...whatever you get up to this weekend, Seth, only tell Mom the good stuff. Unless you _want _to be grounded for the rest of your life."

"That's the plan." The rest of the drive to the Cullens' they spent discussing what they were going to do in Vegas, and wondering just how generous the Cullens had decided to be when 'pitching in'.

When they pulled up outside the familiar manor house, Edward had the door open before they'd even undone their seatbelts. A grin lit up Seth's face as he hopped out of the car, and Leah followed quickly. "Seth, Leah," said Edward, inclining his head in greeting.

"Hey Edward!" Seth was practically bouncing up and down as he pulled his bag out of the backseat. He was already inside by the time Leah shouldered her own bags.

"Hey, Edward," Leah said much more calmly. "Seth's a little over-excited today." Edward chuckled, stepping back to let her through the door.  
"Just a tad. How're things?"

"Good thanks. I still can't believe I'm agreeing to go so soon, but I guess it's about time I live a little." Edward only continued to smile at her and closed the door.

"Jacob, Embry and Quil are in the kitchen," he said. "And don't worry. Everything will be fine, I'm sure."

"Figures," Leah muttered, shaking her head. Edward followed her into the kitchen. Alice and Rosalie were flicking through a magazine; Quil, Jasper, Carlisle and Renesmee were seated at the breakfast bar, deep in conversation. It seemed like she was trying to teach them some kind of forgotten language. Surprisingly, Quil appeared to be picking it up pretty quickly. Bella was helping Esme make enough sandwiches to feed an army, while Jacob, Embry, Emmett and Carlisle stood talking in the corner. Jake chuckled at something Emmett said, then appeared to catch her scent and looked up. He grinned happily at her immediately; even after all this time, that smile of his still threatened to turn her brain to goo. It took her a dazed second or two to remember that they weren't alone in the room, but when she did she crossed the room to greet him properly.

Jake slipped an arm around her waist as soon as she was within reach, pulling her close so he could kiss her. "Hey," he said. "How're you?"

"Awesome, thanks," Leah replied, and smiled at him warmly. "You?"

"I'm great," Jake answered, kissing her temple, and grinning when Leah blushed – she'd just realised that, while Carlisle and Embry were being polite and giving them a moment, Emmett was standing there with his arms folded over his chest and a smug look on his face.

"Now, now, children. Steady on with the PDA's: don't make me have to ask your parents if you're being safe!"

"Emmett!" Leah hit him on the arm, but all she did was make him laugh. "You're a real pain in the ass, did I ever tell you that?"

"Probably," said Emmett, shrugging. "But I've forgotten. You know, it's my short term memory loss that was brought on by your constant smacking me round the head?"

"Ha, ha, ha...look who's Mr. Comedy!" Emmett gave a mocking bow.

"Why thank you, She-Wolf, I do try." Leah just grumbled some unintelligible insults and Emmett disappeared to intrude on someone else's conversation.

"You all set?" Jake asked, trying to cover up the laugh that wanted to escape.

"Yeah, me and Seth are good to go. When are we leaving?" Jacob glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Round about...well, now, I'd say."

"Leaahhhh!" Alice appeared suddenly out of nowhere, throwing herself on Leah in a hug.

"Hey, Alice," Leah managed to get out. "It's nice to see you too."

"I can't believe you're leaving us for _Vegas_!"Alice jumped back, pouting. "Who are we supposed to gossip with? Who are we going to rely on for creative insults?" The little pixie put a hand over her heart and fixed her best friend with a look of heartbroken betrayal. "Who are we going to give makeovers to?"

"Uh...each other? I'll only be gone for the weekend, anyway. You'll be alright without me."

"My makeup kit is still devastated."

"I hate to be a nag," said Edward, glancing at the clock. "But keep an eye on the time."

"Point taken." Embry hefted his bag higher up onto his shoulder. "Right, let's go."

"Thank you," Leah said, stepping forwards to hug Esme. "You really didn't have to go to all this trouble for us, y'know. I'm running out of ideas on how to pay you back."

"It's no trouble at all, dear," Esme replied. "You know we love to help. The best way you could pay us back would be to just have fun and enjoy yourselves."

"Alice will meet you at the airport," explained Edward. "She'll drive your car back, Leah, and then return it to the airport when you're due home."

"Thanks, Edward."

After a lot of goodbyes and some more playful comments from Emmett – which resulted in more 'playful' hitting from Leah – the werewolves were out the door and piling into Leah's car, bags stuffed in the trunk. "I'm driving!" Jacob announced, and seconds later Leah yelled,

"Shotgun!" There were a few mumbled complaints from Seth, Quil, and Embry, but they obediently climbed in the back as Jake slipped into the driver's seat and Leah got in next to him.

"I can't believe we're actually going to Vegas," said Quil as they pulled away from the large manor house.

"I can't believe you all actually _wanted_ to come with me," Embry said, rolling down his window a fraction. "I was expecting you to try and stop me."

"And miss out on a chance to actually act my age?" Leah snorted. "You should be so lucky, Embry."

When they were out of La Push and headed in the direction of Seattle the clouds disappeared, and the sun shone brightly down on them. Leah rolled down her window, letting the air cool her face, and opened the glove compartment, pulling out a small stack of CDs. "Woah, hold on there a sec!" Quil said as she selected one and took the disc out. "What are you putting on?"

"Music," Leah answered bluntly. There were several disapproving groans from the backseat.

"Why can't we just put the radio on?" asked Seth. Leah raised her eyebrows and slipped the disc into the CD player, regardless.

"It's my car, my CD player. And I say Jason Reeves."

XXXXXXXXXX

Some time later Embry, Seth and Quil were discussing their Vegas plans again, whilst Leah was resting her head to one side and had her hand partially out of the window. She watched the sun appear to dance between her fingertips, a brilliant golden sphere of light in the clear, baby blue sky, and smiled. She'd never thought she'd say it again, back before she was healed, but life was pretty amazing. She was really beginning to appreciate the simple things.

Jake watched her just smiling to herself for a while, trying to divide his attention between her and the road. The guys in the back were all deep in conversation, wrapped up in discussing their Vegas plans, but Leah seemed content to simply sit there quietly and let the warm sunshine wash over her. She never ceased to amaze him. The corner of his mouth turned upwards in a little smile as he turned his whole attention back to the road with an internal sigh. They weren't that far away from the airport now; they just had to make sure they got on their flight, and then they were sorted. There'd be a car waiting on the other side like Edward had promise. They only had to somehow not get lost and reach their hotel without driving around in circles for hours.

Still, from what Edward and Emmett had told him – Emmett and Rosalie were, apparently, quite the Vegas fans - there were enough clubs and casinos in their hotel alone to last them a lifetime. That idea seemed pretty awesome – until it occurred to him that he would probably be beating off any guy who eyed Leah up with a stick. At least being a 6ft 8 werewolf had its perks there. What was it Leah's Aunt had called him again? "Mr Muscle?" He almost chuckled aloud at the memory of Aunt Cath saying goodbye to him and Leah, winking at him and dramatically declaring that there were no "Mr Muscle"s where she came from. At least, none her own age. But he held his laughter in, afraid to break into Leah's little moment of quiet happiness.

XXXXXXXXXX

They reached the airport a little while later, parking the car like Edward had instructed and leaving it there, retrieving their bags from the trunk. The airport was as busy as they had anticipated: thankfully the Cullens had warned them that there might be some airport chaos and they weren't that surprised. They had plenty of time. The five of them joined the right queue to check in. "How long is this flight gonna be anyway?" asked Seth, watching the other people milling around the airport in various groups.

"Around three hours," answered Jacob, who wrapped an arm around Leah's waist and tried not to think about how long they might have to wait just to check in.

"It'll be fine, Seth," Leah reassured him. Then, more quietly to Jake, "He's never liked flying." Seth mumbled something unintelligible but otherwise didn't deny it.

"Aww, is our Sethykins afraid of flying?" Quil teased, ruffling Seth's hair. "Don't worry, if the plane goes down in a ball of fire I _promise _I'll help you fix your oxygen mask first."

"Shut _up_ Quil," said Embry as Seth's face paled. Embry hoped he wasn't unknowingly doing the same. "I don't like flying either."

"Hey, you know I'm just kidding!" Leah raised her eyebrows and looked up at Jake with an exasperated expression on her face.

"Do you think they'll be like this the whole time?" she asked, while Seth, Embry and Quil continued their mini-argument on whether or not they were all going to die in a firey explosion on the way to Sin City – and, Seth wanted to clarify, if that meant they would all be going to Hell or not – completely oblivious to the odd looks they were getting from the surrounding people. Jake shrugged.

"Probably," he answered. "But we can always hope."

Finally, they reached the front of the queue, and handed over their passports. The young woman behind the counter noticeably turned a little pinker when Jacob flashed one of his trademark smiles at her, but Leah was pleased to note that she wasn't ignored like she normally was in situations like these. Normally, the girl in question preferred to just focus on Jake rather than actually acknowledge Leah's presence. Although, she supposed, that must be what happened when guys stared at her and totally overlooked the fact that Jake was, _very _obviously on these occasions, her boyfriend. "Enjoy your trip," said the woman with a genuine smile at the both of them, handing their passports back.

"Thanks. We will," Leah said. She deposited her duffel bag on the conveyer belt behind Jacob's, keeping her hand luggage bag slung over her shoulder. "Come on guys, put your bags on." Embry and Seth dumped their bags as told, before Leah actually noticed Quil was missing. "Uh, Em...where's Quil?"

"Where do you think?" Embry gestured over his shoulder with his head, and, looking past him, Leah spotted Quil. And, sure enough, he was talking to two girls. Now that she really listened, she could overhear the conversation he was having with them.

"Britain huh? Sounds awesome. And, if I'm honest ladies, your accents are very cute." Leah wasn't sure if she was more horrified at the fact that the girls giggled and his lines seemed to be working for once, or that Quil was now targeting girls from other countries.

"One moment," she said to Embry, Seth, and Jake, and started making her way over to where Quil stood. She reached him just as he handed a pen and a little piece of paper to one of the girls, who thanked him. "Quil, come on!" Leah grabbed him by the arm and started tugging him over in the direction of where Jake, Embry and Seth were standing and watching, all wearing matching grins.

"Awh, Lee, do I have to?" Quil complained, trying to remain in place. "I'm kinda busy here."

"We're going to miss the flight at this rate, asshat!"

"But Kate and Steph are about to tell me about their trip to Seattle!"

"Come _on_!" Leah tugged harder and Quil, deciding he quite liked having two arms, gave in. "Call me!" he called to the two girls, who were trying not to laugh, as he was dragged away. After much grumbling he deposited his bag too, and then they were finally out of the crowds.

They passed through security fairly quickly, and thankfully the metal detector didn't go off when any of them walked through the little archway so they weren't delayed any longer. After that it was a quick whizz around the various shops to pick up things for the flight, and then they waited out the last half an hour in the departure lounge. "I can't believe you dragged me away from those girls, Lee," mumbled Quil, who was gazing forlornly at his silent cell phone. "It was going so well!"

"Sorry, Romeo," said Leah, flicking through one of the magazines she'd bought. "But really, I couldn't just stand by and let those two poor, innocent girls be subjected to your terrible lines." Quil just rolled his eyes.

Eventually their flight was announced as boarding. They got their stuff together and headed for the gate, Leah exchanging her magazines for their passports and other papers instead. Despite his apparent fear of flying Seth was practically bouncing up and down with excitement as they waited to board; he was rivalled only by Embry, who was only just managing to restrain himself. Quil perked up a bit too, and a permanent grin formed on his face. The wait to board seemed like another eternity, but eventually their passports and tickets were checked and they were allowed to get on the plane. Seth, Embry and Quil crowded into three seats while Leah and Jake sat across the aisle from them. Leah sighed, although she was smiling, and made sure her cell was turned off. "Vegas, here we come!" announced Quil from across the aisle, with Seth, Embry and Jacob whooping in agreement.

It occurred to Leah that maybe, just maybe, agreeing to spend the weekend in Vegas with the four guys – one of whom was still in school and definitely immature at times, leaving one to be very shy, one to be both an epic fail at chatting up girls _and _childish, and another one to be his usual playful self – might not have been her best idea yet. Remaining silent, she rolled her eyes. It was going to be one Hell of a long flight.

XXXXXXXXXX

As it was, Leah spent most of the flight with her head buried in a book she'd bought and trying to ignore the totally weird conversation the three completely insane young men were having across the aisle from her. Jake put in comments every now and then, but otherwise focused his attention on a magazine on engineering and mechanics, or on reading over Leah's shoulder. Occasionally Leah would be snapped out of her reading by something said by one of the guys, and an hour into the flight she was already sick of it. "They're talking about that show again, aren't they?" she asked Jacob in a mumble, turning the page of her book despite not really being focused on it.

"Yup," Jake replied, dragging out the 'Y' and popping the 'P'. "Although, to be fair, it _is _quite a funny show." Leah looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. Jake only grinned.

"Sorry, I don't really do TV shows for the insane, even if the main character _is _called Billy the Squirrel."

Quil was checking his phone at regular intervals throughout the whole flight, but with no luck. "On the bright side," began Seth in an attempt to cheer Quil up a little, "at least we know that British girls are highly susceptible to your charms?"

"And who knows," put in Embry. "There may be some British girls in Vegas." Quil thought about that for a moment or two, and then his smile returned.

"I officially love Vegas!"

After three hours of crazy conversations, reading and rereading the same paragraph five times in a row, and countless games of Who Can Make The Stewardess Blush The Most, the flight finally came to an end, and the little seatbelt signs flickered on in a signal that they were about to land. When they were allowed to get off the plane Leah half-expected the boys to do some more cheering, but thankfully they stuck to grinning in excitement instead. It took them almost another hour to collect all their bags and make it out of the airport, but finally they were outside. Instantly Jake spotted a smartly-dressed man standing by a shiny, black, expensive-looking car, holding a sign with the name 'Clearwater' written on it in big letters. "That's us," he said, pointing the others in the right direction.

"The Clearwater group?" questioned the man as they approached, and Leah nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, that's us," she answered. The man smiled, lowering the sign and handing the keys over to Jacob.

"Mr Cullen says to wish you a pleasant stay, and to tell you that 'Emmett' is expecting a souvenir. Oh, and the Sat Nav is already programmed with the location of your hotel, so you don't need to worry about getting lost."

"That's great," said Jake while Leah gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

Wearily, the five of them said goodbye to the man and climbed into the car after putting their bags in trunk. In a few short minutes all their excitement and hyperactivity had vanished, and now they were just very, very tired. "The first thing I'm going to do is sleep," murmured Seth from the backseat.

"You're not the only one," said Embry. They all called home to let their various parents know that they'd arrived safely, and Leah called Billy as well, seeing as Jake was driving. She opted for calling Billy first, and was grateful that she did so: the conversation with her Mom went on longer than she'd expected.

"We're fine, Mom, seriously," she tried to reassure her mother. "There weren't any problems. No, I checked, we haven't lost the passports. The Cullens got us a car, we're driving to the hotel right now – what? Listen, Mom, you're worrying too much again, and I've gotta go. I'll text you tomorrow or something, okay? Yeah, yeah, love you too. Bye Mom."

"Sometimes," started Seth quietly, "I wonder how Mom can spend all that energy on fussing over us, and still have any energy to do anything else." Leah snorted.

"Too right. Remember the policy this weekend guys. What our parents don't know, won't hurt them. But that is _not _an excuse to get wasted, form a gambling addiction and hook up with random girls, okay? _Especially _you Seth."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure thing." Seth waved off his sister's reminder tiredly, and Leah couldn't help but smile.

Before long they reached the hotel, and checking in went smoothly. The hotel itself was _huge_, stretching up towards the sky, all lit up and bright. And Leah was sure she glimpsed a pool or two. Or possibly three. But then, after an extremely long and exhausting day, they finally reached their hotel rooms. Seth, Embry and Quil were rooming together, while even Leah, who was practically dead on her feet, had to find some humour in the fact that the Cullens had thought to get Leah and Jake a room to themselves. Not that she was complaining. Leah dumped her bags at the foot of the bed and flopped back onto the bedcovers, sighing tiredly. "We're actually here," she mumbled, trying to keep her eyes open. Jake smiled, walking to the window and peeking out of the curtains. Their room had one Hell of a view, he had to admit. Leah swept the room with her gaze, and something on the bedside table caught her eye. She reached out and picked up a little sheet of paper, and laughed. "There's a _flyer _with a list of all the casinos in the hotel!" she said. "There are _casinos..._in _the hotel_!" Jake grinned at her and shrugged.

Oh, they were all_ definitely _going to remember this weekend.

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**Okay, so, it's incredibly late (Or...early?) at night (in the morning?) so I haven't checked for mistakes :L I'll go through it again tomorrow and check, so bear with me a little on that :L! And I've never been to an airport in the US, so I had to go on what I know of British airports :L Lool, until next time xxxx**

**And don't forget to review :P! x**


	33. Watch The Sun Come Up

**Omg, so, I'm majorly sorry for the wait! Everything has been totally insane, and then all my inspiration abandoned me :( But I've got it back now, so I've managed to finish this chapter and get it updated for you :D Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, they were awesome ^^! Right, so...hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

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"And it was hard to distinguish,

Love at first sight, or holiday romance?

Don't care, I was lost in the moment,

I really should have missed that flight..."

Example - Watch The Sun Come Up.

* * *

Leah awoke late the next morning, with sunlight lighting up the room. Someone – presumably Jake – had opened the curtains and the huge window was letting in enough light to wake up a horde of badgers. Badgers sleeping _underground_. Leah gave a groan of sleepy frustration and rolled over, pulling her pillow over her face. She sighed, realising in that slightly dazed way your brain acts when you're half asleep that she'd managed to get herself all tangled up in the bedcovers, and couldn't help but think that the pillows in Vegas smelled very different from the ones at home.

_Ah, right. Vegas._ She was sleeping her weekend away. Where was Jake anyway? If the boys were already on a drunken rampage...But it was still another ten minutes before she could be bothered to even remove the pillow, during which she almost fell asleep again twice and for a minute or so even forgot that she wasn't at home. Eventually the half-asleep feeling began to fade, and Leah decided it was her duty to society to prevent her younger companions from traumatising other Vegas-goers.

She sat up slowly, cursing the ridiculously bright sunlight, and looked blearily around the room as she ran a hand through her hair and got it out of her face. There was no sign of Jacob, apart from his side of the bed being made up neatly and his duffel bag being open. Before she could question the whereabouts of her now AWOL boyfriend a low rumble from her stomach distracted her. _Chillax, I'll get you food in a minute. Just as soon as I find out where everybody's gotten off to._ Leah pushed the covers off and swung her legs over the side of the bed; she was about to stand up when a piece of paper on the bedside table caught her eye.

Curiously, she picked it up. On it was scrawled a short message in familiar, scruffy handwriting:

_Lee,_

_Gone with the guys to check the pool out. I'll be back in a couple hours._

_Love, Jake xx_

_P.S: You know you look beautiful when you sleep, right?_

For a few moments Leah could only smile. Then she mentally shook herself. _Darn Jake for being so sweet...So there _is _a pool? Well, I may have to uh... 'investigate' that for myself..._

But her stomach, it seemed, wasn't having any of it. It rumbled again a lot louder this time. "Okay, okay! I'll find food! Jesus..." Rolling her eyes Leah got to her feet and retrieved her duffel bag, finding a change of clothes and heading into the little en suite bathroom. While she showered she tried to come up with a plan for her weekend. Otherwise she'd only go and waste it doing random stuff. A little investigation of the pool sounded like a good idea, and she definitely wanted to check out some of the bars within the hotel. And then of course there were the casinos too...In all honesty, she still couldn't believe that the Cullens had done this for them.

Leah wasn't new to the Cullens' surprising generosity – though despite this, the days when she'd despised them with everything she was worth were still fresh in her mind – but still she didn't think she'd ever get used to it. After all the things that had happened this last year, since she joined Jacob's Pack, she fully considered the Cullens to be family. Strange as it sounded, Esme and Carlisle were like second parents to her, and Leah knew that they thought of her as another daughter.

Esme had even said so on several occasions, such as the day of Rosalie and Emmett's wedding. She had showed the bride and bridesmaids those diamond hair slides, and revealed that she'd been saving them for the day when their family was complete, and all her children were happy. Rosalie's hair slide had had to go underneath most of her hair because of the way Alice had styled her long, blonde curls, but Esme had passed one to all her daughters, Renesmee and finally Leah. Leah had been too surprised to make a fuss, but Esme had quickly seen her look of disbelief and told her that she would always be considered her daughter.

Leah just couldn't deny her happiness. The first few months of this year had been full of serious stuff: her changing, Jake changing, their developing feelings and their relationship, plus two weddings. She reckoned they deserved a break. They deserved a chance to have some real fun. After an attempt at trying to memorise the names of the little hotel-provided shampoos Leah changed into her favourite pair of mini shorts and a pastel-yellow camisole, putting on her bikini underneath as an afterthought. Then she shoved her phone, purse and some other bits and pieces in her bag, dragged a brush through her now-dry hair and slipped on her trusty, slightly worn sneakers and headed out of the room.

In all honesty, she had no idea where to even begin looking for the guys. All she could remember was that the pools were somewhere near the lobby, so she set off in that general direction. She saw countless doors just on her way to the nearest elevator – briefly, Leah wondered if it would be possible for someone to get hopelessly lost in this particular hotel. Had the Cullens even been here before? Or had the 'room with a view' thing just been a lucky guess?

Eventually she found some signs and noted with a small smile that she'd been going in the right direction. Before she even saw the pool she heard numerous splashes and laughter that she knew all too well, and when Leah finally tracked down the guys she found them all having a lot more fun than she could remember them having in a long time. Quil and Seth were waist-high in the water and attacking Jacob with inflatable beach balls – Jake himself was sitting on the edge of the pool with his legs dangling in the water, laughing and trying to dodge the beach balls as they flew at him. Meanwhile Embry was occupying one of the nearby sun lounges, shaking his head with a knowing smile on his face. He was attempting to read a book whose title Leah couldn't see, but seemed about ready to acknowledge defeat.

"Causing havoc already?" Leah asked, grinning at them as she approached. "That's gotta be a record, it's not even lunch yet." Quil and Seth only smiled proudly and sniggered.

"Hey, Lee," said Embry, not looking up from his book. Leah leant to press a kiss to Jake's lips as he mumbled a,

"Mornin', Sleeping Beauty," and threw her a soft smile. She smirked inwardly at the various girls and guys whose coy smiles instantly fell. Sometimes, she really couldn't help but feel a little sorry for them. "I was just about to come check on you," said Jake, oblivious to the disappointed looks he and Leah were getting as he watched her leave her bag and shoes under Embry's watchful eye.

"I got your note," she replied with a smile that plainly said, "_You _are too friggin' sweet for words."

"You coming in?" he asked, a mischievous smile beginning to form on his face.

"Maybe..." Leah feigned a tone of nonchalance just to tease him, shrugging and keeping her face expressionless. Then she took off her camisole and threw it over towards her bag. It was closely followed by her shorts, and Leah joined Jacob at the side of the pool. His hand found hers within just a few moments, and a small smile came to her lips. "What's the plan for today then?" she asked, wondering if the guys would have any ideas. Beside her Jake shrugged, and out of the corner of her eye Leah saw Embry do the same.

"Lunch, pool, stuff...and then hit the casinos and stuff tonight, I guess," he said as Quil and Seth momentarily paused their game of Who-Can-Dodge-The-Most-Inflatable-Pool-Items-At-Once to listen.

"I'm up for that," Seth said, and Quil nodded in agreement.

"What about you, Em?" he asked, looking over at his best friend. "Em?" But Embry wasn't paying attention. He still held his book in his hands, but he was looking at something on the at the other end of the pool. Leah, Jake and Seth looked towards Embry too, when they registered his silence, and tried to work out what he was so transfixed by. Quil followed his line of vision, and after a few moments he figured it out.

At the other end of the pool, a girl was standing by the door, texting on her phone. She was wearing just a pair of dark denim shorts and a black short-sleeved T-Shirt, nothing special, with her hair cut in a short, jet black pixie style that, although spiked up, appeared strangely feminine with shorter tendrils hanging down here and there. She was tan, too, in a Native American way, and Embry seemed completely captivated by her. "Please, don't tell me he's Imprinted," Jake murmured, hoping he was wrong.

"No, I don't think so," answered Quil. "It would be slightly different." He watched the girl for a moment or so longer and then turned back to Embry. "Em? Embry!"

"Huh? Wha?" Embry finally looked back at them, seeming dazed.

"We were talking," Leah said, smiling knowingly. "Before you got distracted by the girl."

"Oh...oh!" Embry's cheeks darkened, and he immediately went quieter. "I just...uh...she's pretty, is all." He still couldn't risk glancing over at her once more though, only to find that she was gone.

"Yeah, sure..." Quil shook his head, but put it out of his mind. He was too busy with plans for that night. "I can't wait 'til tonight," he said, grinning excitedly. "Think of the bars, and the casinos, and just how totally, epically awesome it's going to be! Do you reckon Vegas girls go for the whole 'tall, dark and handsome' thing?" Leah rolled her eyes.

"Trust girls to be the first thing you think about, Quil," she muttered, but her smile was playful. Then, in a much softer voice, she turned and spoke to Jake. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking," she explained. "And then tomorrow our flight leaves in the evening, so we'll get home ever very late tomorrow night or unnaturally early on Monday morning." For a few seconds she paused, a slight frown crossing her face as she thought. "Do you think Alice picked the car up okay?" she asked. "Because...well...it's my _car_..."

Jacob chuckled and kissed the top of her head; honestly the fact that she would be worrying herself over the welfare of a car that was in the care of a family of Vampires was both cute and endearing. "'S not funny," Leah mumbled, nudging him gently in the ribs with her elbow. Jake barely even felt the nudge and tried not to laugh again, succeeding in reigning it in to one of his special Trademark Smiles.

"Of course not," he said in a tone that made it sound like he agreed. "I'm sure everything's fine, honey."

"I hope so."

Leah used her foot to half-heartedly splash water in Seth and Quil's direction, but she wasn't smiling. Her mind was occupied with other things. Jake spent a few moments just watching her. A slight frown was still on her face, and he didn't like it. There had to be some way he could remind her that she was supposed to be having fun...

Before she could blink, Leah felt a slight pressure on her back, and then the sudden warmth of the water as she was pushed in. She resurfaced moments later, pushing her now soaked hair out of her face and glaring at the guys. They were all laughing loudly – Seth and Quil were practically doubled up, while Embry was sniggering from behind his book and Jake was chuckling away and trying to look innocent. "Whoops," he said with a grin.

_Fine_, Leah thought. _Fine, if that's the way he wants it. Two can play at that game._

"Jacob Black," began Leah in a tone that everyone recognised as her Agree-If-You-Want-To-Live Tone. She crossed her arms over her chest, the water coming up to just over her waist. "Get your ass over here right now."

"Or...?" Jake dared, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Or so help you God, you're not getting _any _tonight." It was her turn to smirk challengingly at him as Seth's expression instantly turned to one of grossed-out horror and Embry and Quil 'Oooo'ed and whistled.

"You win this time, Clearwater," Jake allowed reluctantly before getting into the pool. The water only came up to his hips and he was easily able to walk over to where she stood looking proud. "You drive a hard bargain, Lee."

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple more hours passed slowly, during which the four of them finally managed to convince Embry to put his book down and get in the pool. Just a few minutes later Quil disappeared to talk to some girls he spotted hanging out at the other end of the pool. By the time it occurred to anyone that they hadn't actually had lunch yet Embry and Seth had joined Quil and Leah had taken over Embry's sun lounge. "I feel like food," she mumbled, eyes closed against the sun. "Are the guys still with those girls?"

Jacob, who had been flicking through the book Embry had been reading – a thick, worn and well-read novel whose author he was pretty sure was long since dead – with semi-interest, glanced over at the other end of the vast pool. Sure enough, Quil, Seth and Embry were still over by the group of girls Quil had spotted earlier. "Yeah," he said as he set the book down. "Wanna go embarrass them and drag them away to one of the bars?"

"You read my mind," replied Leah, propping herself up on her elbows to flash him a mischievous grin that matched his own.

She loved how he always seemed to know what she was thinking. Even at times like this, Leah often found it hard not to forget that Jake was only 18. He was much older in many ways, and knew when to be playful and when to be mature, and that was just another one of the countless things she loved about him.

Leah swung her legs over the side of the sun lounge and stood up, combing her hair through with her fingers and shoving Embry's book and her shoes into her bag, swinging it over her shoulder. "Well, better not waste any time," she said. "Only here for two days and all that." Jake was already out of the pool and by her side, drying quickly because of his increased body temperature. He found her hand naturally, as if he'd been doing it for years – which, he supposed, in a way he had – and entwined their fingers, leading her over in the direction of the others.

"Hey, guys!" Leah called as they approached. "You up for lunch?" Quil and Seth remained deep in conversation with the girls, but Embry heard her and threw his Alpha and Beta a look that plainly said,

"_For the love of God, save me!_" Not for the first time, Leah thanked Embry and his girl-fearing ways. At least it would be one less person to worry about.

"Oh, hey Lee, Jake," said Seth when he saw them. "What's up?"

"We're thinking about getting food, maybe going to one of the bars," Jake answered with a smile. Then, "Well...if we can pull Quil away, that is." He turned his smile on the three girls who were standing next to Quil just a few feet away; they were all tall, ridiculously skinny, tanned and blonde. Exactly Quil's type. It figured.

The girls all blushed and giggled flirtatiously , so he turned his attention back to Quil. "You coming, Quil?"

"Sure thing." Quil grinned and looked at the girls, who were clearly not as interested in him as it had first appeared. They were all eyeing Jacob up, Leah noticed with a well-hidden surge of jealous disapproval, and weren't making any attempts to hide it. "I'll be seeing you lovely ladies around, then," Quil said. The girls giggled and flirted their goodbyes before disappearing back in the direction of the pool.

Embry started off for the doors that led inside, leaving Seth, Leah and Jake to follow quickly with Quil bringing up the rear. Once they were safely inside the hotel again and Quil had caught up, Embry let out a sigh of relief. "God," he said, "I didn't think we were ever going to get away!"

"Oh, come on man, they were nice," Quil said, smiling as he glanced back over his shoulder.

"Em has a point, though," Seth put in.

"They were nice, sure," Embry agreed. "But they were the most annoying girls I've ever met."

"I agree with Embry on this one," said Leah.

"Lee, you didn't even speak to them," Quil reminded her. Leah shrugged nonchalantly.

"Didn't have to," she argued. "You could just tell. They all had enough makeup on to clean out a cosmetics company, found every single thing you said hilarious, and got all giggly when they saw Jake." Her expression visibly darkened, to Jake's amusement. He grinned mischievously and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Aww, Lee, are you jealous?" he teased. Leah shrugged and smiled at him, squeezing his hand back.

"If you saw three strange guys coming onto me, wouldn't you be jealous?" He thought about that for a moment.

"Point taken."

"So, where do you guys wanna eat?" Seth shrugged.

"As long as there's food involved, I'm not really fussed."

"Me either," said Embry and Quil in unison.

"Looks like it's up to you, hun," Jake said, nudging Leah gently with his elbow. Leah smiled at his use of the word 'hun', and bit her lip in thought.

"Well," she began slowly. "How about we be adventurous? Let's eat at the first food place we see."

They ended up eating at a quiet little restaurant place after the guys had gotten changed. The food wasn't as expensive as they'd expected, but it was pretty good, and they all managed to squeeze into a booth. Now that there weren't as many girls around to distract them, Quil, Seth and Embry were getting more excited about hitting the casinos and clubs later that night. "Reckon we'll win anything, Jake?" asked Seth enthusiastically.

"Maybe," replied Jacob, with a wink at Leah. "Might be an opportunity for you to put your bluffing skills to good use, Lee," he said. "You're a mean poker player."

"Seth, I don't wanna hear about you even so much as touching a roulette wheel," Leah warned. "You do not, I repeat, do _not_, personally gamble."

"Yeah, yeah, I won't, sure." Leah rolled her eyes, knowing it was pointless.

"Just don't get into trouble, okay?" she said. "That goes for all of you."

"We'll behave, Lee, promise." Quil promised, and Embry, Seth and Jake all muttered their agreement. Leah resisted the urge to roll her eyes again.

_Come tonight, that promise will probably mean nothing._

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**Woooo! Have you figured out how the song links to this chapter? :P Let me know what you think in a review! ^^ Gotta run, but hope you liked it! xxxx**


	34. In My System

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**So sorry for the delay in updating! I've been having a hard time of it lately and well, Christmas means I've been so busy it's unbelievable O.o I've been writing this whenever I can but I've had really bad writer's block, which has made it kinda difficult :L Oh, and I'm British, so I haven't actually been to the US (dang it!) so I've no idea of what Vegas is like etc. I did do some research though and I've tried to make it as realistic as possible, but it may be a while before I have time to come back to correct any mistakes so just bear with me :) I'll update as soon as I can, don't forget to review :] Thanks for all your reviews for last chapter, they were awesome!**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter! **

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight :( But I do own the people you don't recognise from the books ;D!**

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"Something's telling me that she might be the one,

She got what I need, she's my favourite drug,

Help she got me, in my system..."

Tinchy Stryder - In My System.

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Several hours later, when it was finally dark and they decided that it was as good a time as ever to start enjoying the nightlife, the five went their separate ways. Leah and Jake went to check out one of the clubs they'd seen earlier within the hotel; Quil and Seth snuck off to one of the casinos – although they actually said they were going with Embry, who was taking the car and going for a look around the places outside the hotel.

"Don't wait up," said Embry with a cheeky grin as he backed off down the hallway. "I'm not sure what time we'll be back."

"Don't worry, ten bucks says we're back later than you three!" challenged Leah as she and Jacob started off in the opposite direction.

"You're on, Clearwater!" Quil and Seth parted from Embry two floors down, heading for one of the casinos on the flyer they'd found in their room. Embry continued on to the ground floor and out of the hotel, towards the huge parking lot.

He wondered briefly if it would just be a much better idea to explore the hotel like the others were doing; was it really such a good idea for him to go wandering around a strange, unknown city on his own? But he quickly shook the thought off before he could dwell on it any longer. He hadn't come all this way just to stay in the hotel all weekend.

He wanted to actually _see _Vegas. _I'll just stick to the Strip, and I'll be fine_, he told himself. _The car has the SatNav, so it's not like I won't be able to get back to the hotel. _He retrieved the car keys from his jeans pocket, unlocked the door and climbed in, forcing himself to try and feel confident. He really hoped he wouldn't be stared at too much – he may be a "fairly good-looking" 6ft 3 Quileute werewolf, but being stared at still always made him nervous and apprehensive. And, looking the way he did, sometimes being stared at was a little inevitable.

It was the same for all the werewolves. But, as he was constantly reminding himself, they were all a lot more confident and outgoing than him. He was Embry Call: he was the shy one, the quiet one, the sweet and dependable one. That did him fewer favours than most people thought.

But still, this wasn't home. This was Vegas. He could pretend to be confident – Hell, maybe it would work. It was worth a shot. He'd come to Vegas to have some fun for a change, and he was going to do his best to make it worth it.

He'd come to Vegas because he was tired of being the odd one out. Sam, Jared, Paul, Jacob, Quil – they had Emily, Kim, Rachel, Leah and Claire. Seth was busy with school. Colin and Brady were still just kids, so they weren't exactly troubled about much, being best friends. They had each other. Seth had the Cullens. And who did Embry have? His over-protective Mom? His Mom, who, though he loved her to pieces, always seemed to be a little disappointed in him?

Embry sighed as he drove through the unfamiliar streets. He wasn't ungrateful or unhappy, really, he wasn't – just...fed up. Lonely. He just wanted someone. Not necessarily an Imprint or a girlfriend, because he was practically terrified of the other gender, but maybe a friend, someone who was in the same situation, would be nice. Someone who could sympathise. Still, he was only eighteen after all, even if sometimes he felt a lot older. There was the rest of his life for things like that.

Maybe he'd find the time to figure out who he was, because lately, at times, he didn't even know _that _anymore. But then again, this was Vegas, and their one full night to enjoy it. And in a place like this, anything could happen.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I _love _Vegas!" Quil surveyed the vast, noise-filled hall before him with both disbelief and adoration in his eyes. The casino was better than he'd expected, and it _rocked_. He and Seth had already won over a hundred bucks on the roulette wheels, and they'd only been there five minutes.

"I swear I'm losing count of how many times you've said that," remarked Seth, but he was smiling happily and it was absent-minded. He was too busy studying the roulette wheel carefully as the little gathering of people watching applauded at their win. "Put everything on 15," he muttered.

"What was that?" asked Quil, distracted momentarily by the sounds and lights.

"Put everything on 15," Seth repeated, more confidently this time. "Trust me. 15 is the one you want." Quil looked dubious.

"How do you know, man?" he asked uncertainly. "I mean, are you sure? What makes you say 15?" Seth shrugged.

"I don't know why. But I'm sure. Everything on 15, Quil."

"Well...if you say 15, then 15 it is." Then, to the Dealer: "Everything on 15."

The Dealer smiled at them before spinning the wheel. Everyone around the table who had heard Seth and Quil's conversation leaned closer to try and see better, while Quil himself begged whatever it was out there that it would be 15. _Please, God, for the sake of our hundred bucks, let it be 15! _Seth, meanwhile, was strangely calm. And then the wheel stopped spinning, and Quil was almost too scared to look.

"15!" called out the Dealer, and all the unknown onlookers cheered and applauded. More flocked over from nearby tables curiously to see what all the fuss was about as Seth smiled to himself.

He'd always been a damn good guesser. Quil finished whooping and patted him excitedly on the back. "You, Seth, are our lucky charm tonight!" he announced proudly. "Come on, reckon we can get enough to stop Leah from killing me when she finds out that I let you come with me to the casinos?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Leah could barely hear herself think over the music that was blasting throughout the club. It didn't really matter much anyway – she was far too busy dancing to what she thought was the new Gorillaz song with Jacob to care – but at times she could almost swear she felt the ground tremble beneath her feet as the reverberating music pulsed through the floor and the club goers.

It had been a long, long time since she'd really had a chance to let go like this. She'd never really considered herself much of a dancer, but she knew how to move to a beat once she found one, and old nights out in Port Angeles with Rach and Becca years ago meant she'd had a lot of practice. No, Leah wouldn't call herself a good dancer – she just knew how to work her hips and flaunt her curves to the best of her ability.

And the worst part? Jacob _knew _she knew she was driving him crazy with her grinding and swaying, and he _knew _she would make him wait until later to show him any of her other moves. Damn it, he was well and truly hooked. A good thing too, because despite the darkness that was broken only by the blue and purple strobe lights he could still make out at least a couple of guys eyeing his Leah up. If he wasn't so distracted right now he'd have been tempted to go all 'defensive boyfriend' on their asses and scare the shit out of them.

The girls that were checking him out went completely ignored; he didn't even notice them. At the minute his only concern was having a good time with his beautiful girlfriend and acting like a teenager again – well, as much of a teenager as could be when Leah knew dance moves he'd only ever seen in Pussycat Dolls videos, and didn't seem ready to let him forget that she had him wrapped around her little finger.

XXXXXXXXXX

Embry slowed as he reached a bar that looked fairly promising. A neon pink sign on the wall outside told him the place was called "Charlie's". None of the people going inside looked very shady, so he supposed it was okay to go in. Before becoming a wolf he'd have probably been too scared of the suited bouncer at the door to even attempt getting in – not that he would have gotten in at all if he'd tried. But now the bouncer was both smaller in height and in build than him, the guy was merely an obstacle that he could easily avoid.

For a few moments Embry only hesitated, looking at the door in indecision with his hands shoved into his jeans pockets. Then, he did something that he rarely ever did: he took a risk. He straightened up and put on the "confident guy" facade he'd been mentally perfecting for the last few minutes, heading straight for the open door. To his surprise the bouncer let him pass by and into the bar with only an inclination of his head in silent greeting.

Once the initial surprise had faded Embry found himself shrouded in darkness, and even with his enhanced eyesight he would have barely seen the stairs in front of him if it hadn't been for the small, circular lights set into the steps. With nowhere else to go, he went forwards, following the staircase as it descended down into the ground. It was a minute or so before the stairs finally came to an end, though he knew it would have taken him half the time if he'd had the courage to take the steps at a normal pace instead of just edging down them, but his "confident guy" front had disappeared barely five seconds after he set foot in the door.

Still, he shook that thought off. At least now he could prove to the others that they needn't have worried about him being okay on his own; he was alone now and he was doing fine. Right? _Right_. The little corridor he found himself in was as dark as the one at the top of the stairs, until he spotted the thin shaft of light up ahead. The music still slightly muffled, but getting louder, Embry started towards the light and the music.

Through a pair of heavy, thick black curtains, and he was in the bar. It was smaller than he'd imagined, and a lot, lot tamer, for which he was thankful. A few people were drinking at the bar, but most were either sitting at the various little tables that lined the edges of the room, or dancing to the ridiculously loud music in the centre of the floor, where the strobe lights were flashing everything from light to darkness to explosions of neon colours and white. At the opposite end of the room was a small stage where a group of dancers were doing a routine to what he thought might be the newest Ne-Yo track.

At first, he was at a loss for what to do next – the main objective of the night had been to get into a club or bar, but it occurred to him now that he hadn't really thought about what he would do when he got in. He really wished he had some of Quil's confidence to back him up. With a sigh, he headed to the bar, deciding against sitting down on one of the stools. It was seconds before a tall-ish, bald and slight man whose face had a light scattering of stubble appeared on the other side of the bar, brushing down his plain, black button-up shirt and tugging slightly at the rolled up sleeves.

"Alright mate? What can I get ya?" Although slightly taken aback by the British accent that he hadn't been expecting, Embry managed to decide on a drink pretty quickly.

"Uh...a beer'd be great?" he half-answered, half-asked, still barely daring to believe that he wasn't being asked for any I.D.

"Sure thing. Bottle or glass?"

"Bottle's fine, thanks." The bartender retrieved a bottle of beer from behind him and took off the cap before setting it down on the counter. Embry handed over the correct amount of cash, took his drink and turned, surveying the club before him. Most of the people seemed to be fairly young, in their early to late twenties, though a few did look a little older. He wasn't sure if that was reassuring or just more nerve wracking.

Embry shook himself: he was supposed to be an optimist. It was his job to try and see the situation in a positive light. Sure, he knew nobody and he wasn't even old enough to be in the place, but at least he'd gotten in, right? At least he was here. Tomorrow he would be going home to La Push, and the way things had been for the last couple of months. All the guys would either be in school or with their wives or girlfriends, while he was left with his Mom and her insistence that he get a job.

He tried not to sigh, and instead moved to sit at one of the little tables at the edge of the room. The strobe lights didn't reach that far, so he could remain fairly inconspicuous at least. Embry sipped his beer, watching the other club goers and the dancers. If it weren't for his wolf side making him need a lot more alcohol than normal to feel buzzed, let alone drunk, he would probably be prepared to order a few more beers. He wasn't normally much of a drinker, but then again, he wasn't normally much of a club kinda guy anyway.

The song finished, and out of the corner of his eye he saw the dancers disappear and someone appear on stage. When he looked he realised that it was actually a performer, standing with their microphone at the front while a new set of dancers filed on behind him. While the others had been in dresses, the new set were instead wearing black mini shorts and matching black waistcoats, over plain, white cotton shirts, with the sleeves rolled up and the top few buttons undone. Somehow – and Embry wasn't sure he wanted to know how – they looked like they were able to dance in the black heels they were wearing.

The performer introduced himself and announced the name of the song he would be performing, but by then Embry had lost interest; he could tell already from the way the guy was acting, talking, and the exasperated looks the dancers were giving one another that he was probably not among the least arrogant of people. He obviously had a rather high opinion of himself.

But Embry wasn't intrigued by that at all, and only turned back towards his table. As he reached for his beer his fingertips brushed over something that rolled with a light, plastic-y sound – he peered at the dark wooden surface of the table and made out the shape of a pen. This time he did sigh. Lost for any other form of distraction, he picked the pen up and pulled the pink paper napkin in the centre of the table towards him, idly beginning to doodle whatever came into his mind first. If his boredom continued for too long then maybe he'd just leave. Find somewhere else to go. Or, if worst came to worst, just go back to the hotel. At least he'd tried.

He'd finished his beer by the time the performer had finished his song, and contemplated getting another as the dancers changed again and the singer began his second song. He was about to do so a few minutes later, but he didn't get that far. As he set the pen down and picked up his empty beer bottle, he suddenly became aware of a presence beside him. "Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"How many of those have you had, Quil?" Seth grinned as Quil stopped one of the passing girls with trays and exchanged his empty glass for one that was full of champagne.

"Not enough," he answered, getting Seth a fresh glass too. His words were beginning to slur together, to Seth's amusement – the stuff they were drinking was clearly very strong, and God knew how much Quil had had. It had to have been a lot, but no one was stopping him.

They'd been playing the wheels for over an hour now, and had accumulated quite a bit more money thanks to Seth's intuition. Although, as he had regularly been telling Quil, it was probably just sheer luck rather than his ability to guess the correct numbers. He really doubted he was good enough to get the right number every time without any help. A fairly large crowd of onlookers had collected around them over the past hour, watching and talking among themselves about the unusual but entertaining winning streak.

"What are we doing after this then?" asked Seth. "How long are we staying?" Quil only shrugged, downing half his drink.

"As long as we like, I guess."

"Unless," put in an unfamiliar, silky voice, "you feel like taking a break?" Quil looked up from his champagne, finding a girl attached to his arm that he hadn't noticed before in the crowd. She was dressed in a simple black cocktail dress and heels, her long, curling blonde hair falling past her shoulders. Her pale skin was flawless and her deep green eyes were rimmed with thick mascara and a light eye shadow. The unknown girl peered up at him from underneath fake eyelashes that looked like they might have cost more than the glittering jewellery she was wearing, and smiled. "I mean," she continued, "we could always come back later, right?"

Quil smiled back, intrigued by her offer now that he wasn't thinking straight. "Your friend can come too, if he likes," said the girl, glancing at Seth, and Quil looked over at the younger boy, who seemed more interested in his drink and the roulette wheel.

"What do you think, Seth?" he asked. Seth grinned as the people around them applauded at another win. "Wanna go with this gorgeous lady here?" Shrugging, Seth traded in his now empty glass as another tray passed by, taking a sip of his newest one.

"I think I'll stay here, thanks," he replied. "You go, man, I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Quil checked, the sober part of him – which was rapidly disappearing – hoping Leah didn't find out that he left her little brother alone.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

The girl's smile widened, showing white, perfectly straight teeth, and moved her hand from Quil's arm to his hand. "I'll see you back at the room later!" was the last thing Quil managed to call to Seth, before the girl was pulling him away and Seth returned to his gambling.

It wasn't long before he had another few hundred bucks under his belt; he began to wonder how he was going to stop his Mom finding out about it, but the amount of alcohol he'd had was finally beginning to take effect, and all of a sudden he decided he didn't really care. Half an hour after Quil left he noticed the girl that was standing pretty close to him and cheering every time he picked the winning number. She was just like the girl Quil had left with, except her hair was dark and tied up in a loose bun. Before long she'd edged closer and had linked her arm with his, laughing with everyone else and batting her large eyelashes at him.

"I'm Melissa," she introduced herself after a while.

"Oh, hey," Seth said, supposing he should introduce himself as well. "I'm Seth."

"Feel like getting outta here?" Melissa asked, smiling slightly. Seth paused, thinking it over for a moment.

"Uh...I'm fine, thanks," he answered eventually, and the girl on his arm didn't miss the way his words ran together. "On a winning streak. Wanna help?"

"I'm good," Melissa replied simply. Her smile grew coy and she tilted her head slightly to one side. "You could come back later on, though?" she suggested. "I know some place...quiet, that we could go...?" She raised an eyebrow challengingly. "That is, if you're interested?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Leah had long since stopped being worried about the others. She'd had enough to drink to make her feel extremely buzzed, if not drunk, and her and Jake had actually had to move on to another club to make sure no one got suspicious. Jake had had more, but was only just beginning to feel the effect. After a couple of hours spent in just the clubs, they'd decided to take a taxi to the Strip, to check out some of the places there too. As they tried to navigate the unfamiliar layout of the unfamiliar streets Leah narrowed her eyes at a group of girls who were giggling and eyeing Jacob up from the doorway to a club – as soon as a few of them met her gaze they all grew quiet and went scarlet, disappearing inside.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," Leah mumbled triumphantly under her breath, smiling to herself. "I swear, some of these girls...I must be invisible." Jake chuckled, tightening his arm around her shoulders and grinning.

"Nah," he said. "They're the invisible ones. To me, at least." Leah's smiled widened and she laughed quietly.

"You're too sweet," she said, glancing up at him.

"I do try," Jake replied with a wink. "Right...where to now?" Leah scanned the various bars, clubs and casinos around them, trying to figure out which one would be best to go to next.

"Well, I kinda need the bathroom, so let's just find somewhere with a Ladies' room first." She zeroed in on a small, inconspicuous bar and decided it would do. "Come on, I'll just be a sec." Leah tugged on his arm and gestured towards the bar with her head. Obediently Jacob gave in and allowed her to drag him over to the little building, and through the door. The place was bigger on the inside than they'd expected, and a lot shadier. Groups of mean-looking biker-type guys were scattered all over the place, which was dark and dirty in itself. The only real noise was coming from a particular crowd of tough and heavy-built men sitting around a table and playing poker.

Some of them groaned in complaint as they watched, while the winner laughed smugly to himself and pocketed his winnings. Leah looked up at Jacob over her shoulder, raising her eyebrows. His expression mirrored hers: the sooner they got out of here, the better. Sighing, Leah stood on her tiptoes to quickly kiss him on the lips, mumbled a, "Won't be long," and then disappeared off towards the door that looked like it hadn't been used in years. The guys at one of the tables she walked passed all looked up at her as she went by, and Jake didn't like the looks on their faces.

He pushed his hands into his pockets and threw them a warning glare, which shut them up. As he waited Jake looked warily around the room, trying to avoid making eye contact with the bartender, who was wiping down the surface of the bar with a grimy cloth and peering at him.

Leah was as quick as she'd promised, and soon she'd reappeared and was making her way across the bar towards him. "It was awful in there," she muttered under her breath as soon as she was close enough for him to hear, resisting the temptation to make a face.

"Let's go," Jacob said, taking her hand. "The bartender's creeping me out." They made for the door, glad to be leaving, when a round of badly-smothered laughter erupted behind them.

"They're obviously not here to play," one of the men murmured, not knowing that both Leah and Jacob could still hear him.

"Good thing, too," said another man, "That guy doesn't look like much of a gambler, and well, poker's a man's game." Leah froze, and Jacob inwardly groaned.

"Now's not the time, Leah," he pleaded with her. "Just ignore them, they don't know anything."

"No, no," Leah began, looking over her shoulder towards the poker players. "I want to know what their problem is."

"Leah, please, I _really _don't wanna get into a fight with these guys. I can't take on all of them, not at once."

"Jake, I won't start a fight, okay?" Leah gave him a look that asked him to humour her, and he saw there was no point in arguing.

"Okay..." He let go of her hand, and Leah immediately turned and stormed over to where the poker players were sitting.

"Do you have a problem?" she demanded, hands on her hips. If there was one thing she was good at it, it was setting people straight. A few of the men instinctively shrank away from the venom in her tone, but the one who'd spoken first simply grinned challengingly at her.

"You here to play, darling?" Leah only smiled sweetly at him.

"In your dreams," she said. Jake edged forwards, torn between his concern and his growing annoyance at the poker players. "What was that you said about poker being a _man's _game?"

"Willing to prove us wrong?" asked another man. Leah glared at each of the men in turn, before weighing up her options. She was a damn good poker player, if she did say so herself.

"Fine."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well, gentlemen, it's been a pleasure, but I really must be going." Leah smiled and picked up the rolls of notes, putting them in her pocket as she stood up. The other players all stared at her in surprise, while one checked her cards to make sure she wasn't just making it all up. Leah winked at the one who'd challenged her, and made her way over to Jacob. He smiled at her proudly while she found his hand again.

"You're amazing, did I ever tell you that?"

"Thank you." They started making their way towards the open door. "Now, let's get out of here." But then they were stopped by a loud shuffling and scraping of chairs, as half of the men in the bar stood up and moved away from the tables. Within moments the exit was blocked, and Leah and Jacob found themselves surrounded by a dozen or so half-drunk and agitated Hell's Angels. Instinctively Jake went to hide Leah behind him.

"Ah..."

* * *

**Sorry 'bout the cliffy :L Woo, go Leah! Lmao, I'm in a huge rush right now but don't forget to review :] Have a great Xmas, and a Happy New Year! xxx**


	35. Teenage Dream

**Woo! I finally updated! :D Gahhh, sorry for the delay! :S I had a seriously bad case of writer's block, and then I was ill, and then there were science exams...but I sat down at my laptop tonight and made myself finish this chapter :] Anywho, last chapter your reviews were awesome! Thank you! :D Phew, this chapter is pretty long...in future chapters will get shorter, so there's some warning! I'm not talking majorly short, but definitely not as long as this - it's way too draining on my mind :L Haha :] I'll continue to update whenever I can, and don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you think! I'm not kidding, whenever I'm down your reviews are a sure way to bring me back up! ^^ :D**

**Sorry for any mistakes - I'll come back and check it through later :] Also, I'm British, so if there's any mistakes about anything non-British, I apologise :P I'm not sure how the U.S works, though I did do some research and some of you guys have really saved my butt with this Vegas stuff! :] Thanks again ^^ Next chapter is the last in Vegas, so...y'know, I hope you like this one :]**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"My heart stops, when you look at me,

Just one touch, now baby I believe,

This is real, so take a chance,

And don't ever look back, don't ever look back..."

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream.

* * *

"_Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?"_

For a second, Embry only stared up at the stranger, wondering if he was hallucinating. The girl was dressed in the ensemble of the last set of dancers, waistcoat, mini shorts and shirt, but she looked young. A lot younger than some of the other people in the club. Maybe around his own age. The white shirt and black waistcoat complimented her tan skin, and longer tendrils of her short, pixie-style hair hung down here and there, giving it a nice, intentionally-messy look. _The girl from the pool_.

He supposed to others she would simply look pretty, but he'd never seen someone so fascinating. The second seemed to stretch forever; then, suddenly, Embry regained control of his brain and his cheeks flushed a little darker from embarrassment.

"Uh, no, no one's sitting there," he answered, glancing between the girl and the empty seat across from him – mostly the seat. He was wanting to facepalm himself for his open gawking – and wondering if she was going to sit down.

"Mind if I sit here?" the girl asked, smiling at him with her drink in hand. At a loss for what else to say, Embry cleared his throat and tried not to blush again.

"Sure, go ahead." Wait, what was he doing? He'd never known how to talk to girls! This was just _asking _for disaster..._Embry, man, you've finally lost it._

"Thanks." The girl sat down, flashing him another grin. They sat for about five seconds in an awkward silence, watching the performer on stage with the newest set of dancers, before the girl spoke and took Embry completely by surprise.

"I'm sensing you're the quiet type?" A small smile had formed on her face and her head was cocked slightly to one side, like she was studying him. Embry smiled shyly back at her, trying desperately to remind himself of his 'confident guy' act. Damn it, where was Quil when he needed him? Then again...it was probably better, for the girl's sake, that Quil wasn't there.

"Kinda," he answered honestly, not sure why he felt the need to be completely truthful. "Mainly just around girls, though." Another facepalm to add to the list. It was official. He hated himself. "I mean, well..." Embry tried to think of a way he could correct that somehow. Tried and failed. Instead he just shrugged, resigned himself to mortifying embarrassment and mumbled, "Y'know."

"Yeah," the girl agreed, lifting her glass to her lips. "I know." Another pause, while she drank some of her drink. Then, "Well, pretending I'm a guy...it's nice to meet you."

Embry studied her expression, but she seemed like she genuinely meant it. She was still smiling, anyway, and that was always a good sign. Right? "Nice to meet you too," he replied, beginning to feel a little less awkward even though there was no way in Hell he could ever imagine her as a guy. He took the hand she offered and found her grip surprisingly firm as they shook once; her skin was even softer, smoother than he'd expected. "I'm Embry."

"Nice name," she complimented, smile growing wider as her hand returned to her drink, Embry's to the table. "Original. It suits you."

"Thanks. And...how can you tell?" She shrugged lightly, looking down at her drink and then back up at him.

"I just can."

XXXXXXXXXX

"_Ah."_

"You've gotta be kidding me?" Leah muttered under her breath, watching as the bar goers blocked their only exit. Jacob could feel a low growl rumbling around his chest, but was too busy trying to spot a way out to pay any attention to it. "Shit, these guys can have their money back if they want it that bad."

Leah felt Jake tense; still, she knew it wouldn't be enough to get them out of there. When Jacob Black went into Pissed-Off Alpha Mode, he was _scary_. Hell, even if he wasn't in a bad mood, if Leah herself didn't know him and ran into him down a dark alleyway, she would turn right on round and go back the way she came. Physically, they had the advantage over the bikers – but they had the numbers, and that was where the two of them were royally screwed.

But then, the impossible happened.

Grumblings and apparent insults had been coming from the corner for the past few minutes, but now the almost unbearably tense atmosphere was shattered as the low voices erupted into shouts and crashes, and all Hell broke loose among the bar goers. A heavy-set and bearded man took a swing at a slightly smaller and much younger guy, who dodged out of the way, and the punch went straight past him – barely – and instead landed on the face of a third man. Pretty soon half a dozen people had moved out of the way or stumbled into others, causing more punches to be thrown, and before either Jake or Leah knew it a full-scale brawl had erupted.

Jake ducked as a glass full of beer flew through the air and narrowly missed his head, shortly before the bartender threw down his cloth and ran to the grimy-looking phone on the wall, furiously pressing buttons before holding the phone to his ear as he surveyed the huge fight in worry. _Calling the cops,_ Jake assumed. Still standing defensively by Leah to make sure she wasn't harmed, he tried to get her to hear him over the noise. "Come on, let's go!" he half-shouted, knowing she would just barely hear him and reaching for her hand. Leah nodded, grabbing his hand before they could be separated. Normally the contact would have shot a familiar trail of sparks up her arm, but the adrenaline making her heart beat unnaturally fast was also numbing her senses to anything that didn't have the potential to kill either one of them. She made a mental to keep _this _part of the trip a secret from her Mom.

They were almost at the door when there was a roar from behind them, and Leah glanced over her shoulder to see several of the men she'd just beaten at poker heading after them. "Hey!" one of them shouted, looking furious.

"Give us back our money!"

"RUN!" Leah yelled, and the two bolted for the exit as fast as they could.

The bikers were a lot quicker on their feet than they looked. Jacob and Leah rushed for the door and out onto the street, ignoring the strange looks people were giving them as they ran, half-laughing, down the street. They weaved in and out of startled tourists, and another quick glance over her shoulder told Leah that the biers were already beginning to fall behind. Eventually their livid insults and threats could no longer be heard, and Leah and Jake finally were able to slow down. More people gave them even weirder looks as they stopped, bent double in the middle of the sidewalk. Jacob was so out of breath that he couldn't speak, and that was saying something for a wolf.

But when he looked up Leah was grinning, laughing almost hysterically between her gasps for air. And, despite the fact that they could have ended up getting hurt back there, he suddenly found himself laughing too. Because although they could have regretted the poker game, running from the bikers had been such a _thrill _after the relative safety of La Push these last few months. Because just for now, he felt like a teenager instead of a man. Because his Leah was safe, and obviously quite happy.

And besides...they still had the money.

XXXXXXXXXX

Quil wasn't quite sure where he was. In a club of some kind, he supposed, but he wasn't sure which one. He was having too much fun; he hadn't been asked for any I.D, and the bartender didn't seem to care – or even notice – that he'd had enough to drink to make your Average Joe pass out cold. Once or twice he wondered if Seth was okay, but his alcohol-fuelled brain wanted to concentrate on other matters. Like the amazingly hot girl from the casino, for instance. Charlotte, wasn't that her name? Yeah...yeah, he was pretty sure it was. Anyway, she looked like she could be model. And, even better, she seemed like she was actually into him.

Quil wasn't as stupid or blind as a lot of people thought he was. He knew he wasn't always exactly a babe magnet – though those girls at the airport had certainly boosted his confidence significantly. So if Charlotte had actually taken a interest in him, no way was he going to complain.

Right on cue, she appeared, smiling, and he handed her the drink he'd just bought her. "Thanks," she said, sipping it appreciatively. They stood at the bar for a few minutes, just talking. Charlotte asked what he was doing in Vegas, so he told her, as coherently as he could. Nothing about being a giant dog in his spare time, thankfully. But he told her about his friends, and their trip, and she seemed happy enough to listen. She actually seemed interested, which was more than a lot of girls were when he spoke to them.

He asked her about her, and where she was from, and she smiled when she answered his questions. Then she introduced him to a couple of people she knew, and they were pretty cool. A guy and a girl dressed as expensively as she was, but they didn't make Quil feel out of place – he had the vodka in his system to thank for that. It all felt very surreal. Like he was living a dream.

"So, how long are you here for?" Charlotte asked in her silky tones, when they were alone again.

"Just the weekend," Quil answered, noticing that her words were starting to slur together too. Nowhere near as much as his, though. "But Jeeze, I wish I could stay longer. S'much more fun here, tobehonestwithya."

"Agreed," said Charlotte with a little chuckle, setting down her empty glass on the bar. In the background (which, to any sober person, would be far too loud to a, be the background and b, to not notice) the music changed. Charlotte's smile widened, her eyes lighting up.

"I love this song!" she announced excitedly, and looked to Quil, finding his hand. "Dance with me?" she asked. Quil was powerless to resist.

"Sure," he agreed. "But I'm not much of a dancer." Charlotte waved that off, still smiling.

"Doesn't matter. Neither am I." Quil laughed, and the next thing he knew he was being dragged towards the dance floor and the crowds of drunken people. He made a mental note to come back one day; here, at least, he got to act his age again. And he couldn't even remember how long it had been since he'd last done that.

He knew that tomorrow night he'd be on a flight back home, with Embry and Seth and Leah and Jake, but he didn't want to think about that. They'd all come to Vegas to have some fun and to unwind, which was exactly what he was doing. Granted, he'd known Charlotte all of half an hour. But she was pretty, and classy, and looking for a good time too.

Then his vodka-sodden mind took over, and she was showing him where to put his hands, and he decided he was too drunk to care about reality anymore.

XXXXXXXXXX

"See? You're a natural!" In a very similar bar, in a very different situation, Embry found himself laughing. Twenty minutes ago the idea of getting up and dancing would have terrified him, but now...it didn't It was _easy _with this girl, just like she'd said it would be when she had suggested it; he'd explained that he didn't know how, and she had offered to teach him. They'd been making small-talk for barely ten minutes beforehand, but she'd been able to convince him to get up and dance with her. In _public_.

And to his own extreme surprise, he wasn't bothered that other people could see him. He still thought he sucked at dancing, but he _didn't care_. He felt comfortable with her.

She laughed with him, her confidence infectious and smile dazzling. She didn't seem to mind that his hands were on her hips, or that the only thing she knew about him was that he was Shy-Guy Embry, and Embry soon found that he didn't mind how close she was or how some of her moves were just a little bit promiscuous. In reality, she was practically a stranger: but in his heart and his mind, he felt like he'd known her forever.

He expected some kind of awkwardness when the song ended, but there wasn't. Not even a little. She didn't blush, didn't look embarrassed, only smiled proudly at him and remained close. "Told you you could do it," she said. Embry laughed again, and he felt more carefree and untroubled than he had in a long time.

"Guess I'm not as hopeless as I thought," he said, and she chuckled. Her laugh was light, happy and genuine: he decided he liked it.

"Well, you _did _just learn from the best," she replied, giving him a wink, and then turned to head back to their table.

She sank into her chair, finishing the last bit of her drink as Embry sat down opposite her, watching her with a curious smile on his face. He tried to think of a question to ask the girl, intrigued, but before he could open his mouth the bartender swooped past with a tray full of empty glasses and paused at their table. "Can I get ya anythin'?" he asked, smiling at them both.

"Another beer would be great, thanks," said Embry, and he placed his empty beer bottle on the bartender's tray to save the guy juggling the things he was carrying.

"Cheers, mate." The man turned to the girl, grinning. "A beer, right? Glass, ice, not too much foam?"

"Got it in one, Charlie," the girl answered, smiling at the bartender, who laughed and then headed off to get their drinks.

"Charlie?" Embry asked, remembering the name of the bar they were sitting in. "As in...owner of this place? Like...your boss, Charlie?" She smiled almost shyly, playing with the sleeve of her shirt while she replied.

"More like Uncle Charlie," she said, and then rolled her eyes when she looked up and saw Embry's surprised expression. "Not blood, of course," she continued. "But he might as well be. He's been a friend of my parents' since before I was born. Left London and moved to Oklahoma to go to College, which was where he met them. He actually lived a few blocks away from us in Florida, but then he moved here to open up the bar." Charlie appeared again, handing them their drinks with a grin. He only uttered a quick,

"S'on the house," before he disappeared again to tend the bar.

"He seems great," Embry said, smiling at her and sipping his drink. "But...and I hate to point out the obvious...you're a _long _way from Florida." The girl shrugged, her smile turning just a little sheepish.

"I've always loved dancing," she answered, swilling her ice round in her glass with a soft clinking sound. "I love art too, y'know...like exhibitions and sketching and stuff. But dancing's a passion of mine. So I figured, why not come live with Uncle Charlie in Vegas? Dance in his bar – and it's _respectable _dancing. I'm 18, not a stripper. Gives me a bit more experience with dancing, and I get paid. So I decided to save my money, figured I could go somewhere...New York, maybe...see if I can get work there. That's the plan. But, well...Fate sometimes has other ideas, so who knows?"

Abruptly, she looked up at him, eyes burning with sudden curiosity. "What about you, Embry?" she asked quietly. "You got a plan?" Embry considered that for a moment; he didn't think he'd ever been asked that before. Instead of settling back in his seat he leaned forwards, downing some more of his beer and resting a little more of his weight on the table, the way she was doing. Patiently, she waited for him to speak without her eyes leaving his face.

"Not really," he answered truthfully after a few seconds' silence. "I never really thought about it before. I mean, in La Push – the Quileute Reservation in Washington, where I'm from – people don't really...well, most people settle for marriage and families and, y'know, the simple life. I guess right now I just feel like everyone knows what they want from life, except me. One by one everyone I know is thinking about College or getting cool jobs, falling in love, getting married, getting pregnant...and then there's me. Practically fresh outta High School, with no idea what to do with myself." He snorted, chuckling lightly. "Guess I'm just going through a lonely phase. There's few people on the Rez who can sympathise with me right now."

He wondered briefly if she would laugh, but she didn't. She only watched him, a ghost of a warm smile on her lips. There was a pause, a lapse in the conversation that neither really felt the need to fill. But, then, she spoke. "Find your passion," she said. "Find what makes you happy, makes you smile. And when you do, explore it. Develop it. Follow it, and you'll figure it out. You'll find Mrs. Right _and _know where you're going." She winked again, grinning now, and Embry couldn't help but grin back.

"You really think so?" he asked, liking that idea. The girl laughed, and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you kidding? I _know _so."

And Embry felt like he believed her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Though the noise was almost too much for his sensitive hearing, Jake still grinned as he wandered around the casino and watched all the gamblers. Some cheered victoriously as machines spilled coins all over the floor – one or two actually kicked their machines in dismay and frustration. There were important-looking people at tables and wheels, betting more money than he wanted to think about. He'd be willing to take a gamble himself that they were betting more than his house was worth.

He wished Leah were with him to see it all. Sure, she was only upstairs changing her shoes, and would be down soon, but he missed her company whenever he wasn't with her. It was just one of those things.

After their little stunt with the bikers, they'd decided they'd had enough of The Strip to last them a lifetime. The two of them had gotten a cab back to the hotel, where they'd parted ways after agreeing that they might as well try gambling in a _safe _environment. Well...safe_ish_. Jacob almost rolled his eyes as he thought about how long it had taken Leah to stop laughing. Neither of them had had enough to drink for it to have any effect on them, but still she'd laughed more than he'd seen her laugh in a _long _time, with onlookers passing by and giving her weird looks. And he loved it. He would always love anything that would make her happy.

It almost made him kinda sad to think that soon they would be going home, back to La Push, but he supposed that deep down he didn't really mind. This weekend had been about having a chance to act their age and enjoy themselves, anyway, and he'd definitely done just that. Shaking his head, Jacob made a mental note to thank the Cullens again for doing this. In another life he'd hated them with every fibre of his being, but now...now that everything was over and everyone was, in at least some small way, different, he willingly admitted to himself that the Cullens were like family.

_People change, I guess. That's life for ya. _He knew he was right. This time last year he'd still been 'in love' with Bella. He'd been a wounded, heartbroken kid, thinking that he'd lost Bella forever. But now, a year on, things were so different. He was different. He was a happy, healed man now; he'd befriended Leah Clearwater, fallen head-over-heels in love with her, and made her his. He didn't ever want there to be a time when she _wasn't _his. She saw the best in him and brought it out, made him believe in himself, made him a better man. When they got back to La Push, he wasn't going to waste a single second of being with her, not ever. He was going to make every moment count.

He was still deep in his thoughts of Leah when a sudden cheer in the background caught his attention. A crowd of people had gathered over by the roulette wheels, and somebody had obviously won, but he couldn't see who, not with this many people in the way. Maybe Quil would be in the crowd – Jake had known there'd be no stopping the guy from finding his way to the casinos. There were too many scents and too many voices to distinguish any that he recognised.

Jacob spied a girl walking away from the crowd, looking bored, and decided he might as well ask her what all the fuss was about. Her dark hair was tied up in a loose bun, a few tendrils hanging down and framing her face; she had pretty, flawless pale skin, and he wondered if she was actually alright. "Excuse me," he said when she was closer, making her look up at him in surprise, startled. "Sorry, but...what's happening over there? How come everyone's crowding around that spot?" The girl sighed, folding her arms over her chest, seeming tired.

"This guy," she answered, the corner of her mouth turning upwards in a small smile. "Seth. He's on a great winning streak on the wheels. Been there for a hours, now...hey, are you alright?"

She raised an eyebrow inquisitively at Jake, whose jaw had dropped a little when he heard the name 'Seth'. _Oh, God, please don't let be Seth...Leah would kill him, bury him and then dig him up just so she could kill him again._ "Not...not Seth Clearwater?" he double checked, scared of what the answer would be. A little frown appeared on the girl's face.

"Yeah," she replied quietly, confused. "Why?"

"Is he with another guy? Quil?" _Seth wouldn't have just wandered in here on his own...right?_

"He was. My friend Charlotte bagged him earlier. Seth, though...seriously, he's a hopeless case. He's just too innocent. Doesn't know what he's missing out on..." The girl raised an eyebrow again, a coy smile on her lips. "You, on the other hand – "

" – Are happily taken," Jacob interrupted. "Sorry, but I've gotta go."

And with that he moved past the girl and towards the crowd of people, apologising as people were forced to step aside to let him through. Eventually he made it, and emerged out of the crowd to find himself beside Seth. "Seth, what are you _doing_?" he asked, unable to believe that the 16-year-old kid was winning _thousands _on _roulette _in _Vegas_. Yeah, Leah was going to kill him. Unless Jake could get him outta there first.

"Winning," Seth answered simply, grinning drunkenly.

"Come on, let's get you outta here. I think it's about time you call it a night, buddy."

"But I don't wanna – oh, wait, there's Melissa! Hey! Hey, Melissa!" Jacob sighed, frustrated, and tightened his grip on Seth's arm. He began to drag him away from the wheel, much to the annoyance of the crowd of onlookers. "Jake, what're you doing?" Seth mumbled, words slurring together, not really sounding as if he was protesting against being dragged from the casino.

"Seth, Leah's gonna _freak _if she sees you like this. I'm saving your ass."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Noooooo no no no! Wolverine _totally _kicks Spiderman's ass!"

"C'mon, Spiderman can shoot webs and climb walls, and he has an awesome costume!"

"So does Wolverine! _And _he has knives in his hands. Besides, Hugh Jackman's hot..." They both laughed, knowing that neither of them would ever win the Wolverine vs. Spiderman 'discussion'. Embry was all for Spiderman, but she was big on The X-Men, so not taking Wolverine's side was just not an option.

It was late, now. Really late. Or, well...early, Embry supposed. After a few more hours of laughing and talking and some very close dancing, they'd reluctantly decided to call it a night. Embry would have been willing to stay up all night just sitting and chatting with her, swapping secrets and childhood memories. More than willing. But she had earlier shifts the next day and he had a flight home to La Push, and they both knew that, really, they couldn't afford to be out any later. And Embry, because he liked to think of himself as a gentleman and because he didn't particularly want to leave her company any sooner than he had to, had offered to drive her home.

"It's this one, right here," she pointed out, almost reluctantly gesturing to the right house. Embry slowed the car to a stop outside on the quiet street, feeling very peaceful now that they were away from all the noise. She smiled at him, eyes twinkling in the light from the streetlamps. "Thanks for the drawings," she said, referring to the pink napkin she held carefully in her hand. It was the one Embry had been doodling on just moments before she'd first come over to him – he'd elaborated on his doodles at her request, after she told him that they were 'pretty damn good' and that he had 'natural talent'. He'd let her keep them, as a 'token of gratitude'.

"No problem," Embry replied, smiling back at her. He resisted the urge to sigh as he undid his seatbelt and climbed out, walking around to open the door for her. The next few moments seemed to drag as they went up the steps and stood on the porch, and she got out her keys and opened her front door. Embry wished he could stay with her longer. She made him feel comfortable and confident and...more alive. He felt better somehow since they'd started talking, like the New and Improved Edition of Embry Call.

"Thank you," he found himself saying when she turned to face him, now standing just inside her hallway. He still stood on the porch, smiling at how he was still quite a bit taller than her, even with her heels. "For tonight. It's been a long, long time since I've actually had that much fun." She grinned, making his heart jump just a little. Now that there was more light, he could see her features even more clearly: he'd never seen a girl like her in La Push. She had perfectly proportioned features; big, kind, chocolate eyes and long lashes – real, not fake – a cute button nose, soft-looking lips and perfect tan skin. Definitely beautiful.

"Thank _you_," she replied quietly. "For tonight, for driving me home...for generally being amazing and a gentleman." Embry tried not to blush, and half-succeeded. Only a light heat crept onto his cheeks, and he didn't worry too much about her seeing it. He murmured a,

"No problem," and then they fell into a surprisingly comfortable silence again. She was watching his face, and he was cursing his height and leaning his head down just a little, so she didn't have to look up at such a steep angle. Then she cocked her head slightly to one side. "Goodnight, Embry," she said – he made to reply, but before he could she had already stepped forward and, ever-so-lightly, having to stretch, brushed her lips against his.

Embry was frozen for less than half a second, then found himself relaxing into it of his own accord, his hands finding her waist as though she'd kissed him a million times before. He could have sworn there were butterflies in his stomach. Something, anything, because he felt light and like...like it was just...supposed to be and feel this way. He'd been right: her lips _were _soft, softer than her skin, and undemanding and slow against his own. She wasn't asking anything, and neither was he. And then, far too soon in Embry's opinion, her lips left his and she smiled silently. Then she turned, and, without a word, went inside and closed the door behind her.

Embry spent the entire drive back to the hotel with a irremovable grin on his face. And, when he cut the engine in the parking lot, he didn't make to get out. He simply sat there, smiling, and raised his hand to his lips. _Wow_. She had kissed him. She had kissed _him_, Embry Call. She was funny and beautiful and confident and great and honest and kind and she had just ki–

She. _She_.

He had just met the most amazing girl in the world. And he didn't even know her name.

* * *

**Ahhh...well, whatcha think? :] Leave a review, and let me know! I also love hearing from new reviewers, so if you haven't done so before, leave a little feedback! ;] xx**


	36. Waking Up In Vegas

**So. I pretty much hate myself for taking so long to update :L But, as usual...chest infection, school, coursework, lack of inspiration...real life generally just got in the way (N) It's now ridiculously late (uh...early? O.o) but I forced myself to stay up so I could finish this and update it for you :L After listening to the same Nicole Scherzinger song for the past two or three hours, I'm about ready to fall asleep on my keyboard. Thank you for all your reviews for last chapter - like always, they rocked ;) Also managed to work my way around using any Brit slang (at least, I think I have...I've read it through, but y'know...I'll double check later). Gotta run. I'll try to update the next chapter as soon as I can! Oh, and...the usual 'I'm British, excuse any mistakes on the U.S, I apologise' spiel :P.**

**Oh, and I know this song is usually used for fics involving Vegas etc...but I couldn't resist :P And it _does _apply, in some parts!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

"You gotta help me out,

It's all a blur last night,

We need a taxi,

'Cause you're hungover and I'm broke..."

Katy Perry - Waking Up In Vegas.

* * *

Leah couldn't quite remember how she got back to the hotel room. Or taking her shoes off. Or even falling into bed. In fact, there was very little she _could _remember, after arriving at the casino and deciding to try her hand at gambling. But right now, she was only concerned about two things. A, where was her hangover? And b, where was her boyfriend? She took a moment to focus on her surroundings, trying to shake off sleep.

Jake's scent was strong and, when she concentrated, she could distinguish the sound of running water from all the other sounds nearby. He was only in the shower. A little more relieved, Leah carefully sat up, and tentatively raised her hand to her head. Nothing. No memory of anything after hitting the casino, but no throbbing headache either. Damn, she was actually beginning to be grateful for being a giant dog in her spare time. Last night had been amazing: she hated knowing that they only had until midday before they had to leave to catch their flight home.

With a sigh she reluctantly pushed off the covers and got to her feet, opening her bag in search of a change of clothes. If they only had the morning left, she didn't want to waste any time. Jake wandered in from the en suite bathroom a few minutes later, pulling a shirt on over his head. He caught sight of her as she stood dragging a brush through her hair and his face broke into a smile, the kind that made her heart do all kinds of crazy things. Leah smiled, unable to help herself – though she loved Vegas, part of her just couldn't wait to get home and spend some more quiet time with Jake.

She'd had enough spur-of-the-moment excitement to last her a long time; what she wanted now was a lazy day at home with Jake, in bed, watching a movie, talking...anything. Just him, her, and some peace and quiet. That was her favourite thing to do. "Hey, beautiful." Jacob shambled over to where she stood, still grinning, and ducked down to capture her lips in a kiss. Leah gave a little chuckle as she leaned into it and his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. God, she loved the little things. She dropped the brush and moved her arms up round his neck, heat surging through her and her heart starting a marathon in her chest.

Leah adored this about Jacob: he always knew how to make her feel...well. There wasn't really a word for it. But it was amazing. She felt him smile against her lips at her...rather enthusiastic response, and was unable to keep from smiling herself. She mumbled a dazed, "Morning," and his smile only widened.

"Have fun last night?" he asked, looking down at her with warmth in his chocolate eyes. He still held her close, grateful that she never pushed him away, that she wanted to be near him as much as he wanted to be near her.

"Yeah," Leah answered truthfully, a wry smile turning up the corner of her mouth. "The bits that I remember, anyway." Jake laughed, and because of their close proximity they both shook a little. Leah didn't mind.

"To be honest," he replied, "I have no idea how I ended up in bed fully clothed. I don't even know how I got back here at all." He leant down again, brushing his nose against hers and smiling softly. Leah was momentarily short of breath, and he took full advantage of it to steal another quick sweep of lips. That brought her back to life, and she was able to ignore her musings on how close he was and how great their scents were when combined long enough to form some coherent words.

"Me either," she murmured, smiling again at the effect he had on her. "I don't remember anything after going to the casino." Leah paused for a moment, thinking. "But I do remember the bar. And poker. And various clubs. And beating other women off with a stick." As soon as she mentioned the last memory Jake gave a small, quiet chuckle. Leah _had _been pretty pissed at the girls that had attempted to catch his attention or flirt with him, but he didn't blame her.

He knew he didn't like seeing other men trying it on with her, so he understood why seeing random women approach him made her feel either a little threatened or a little insecure. Besides, Jake had had to do some defending of his own last night; she may not see it or believe it, but Leah was beautiful. Inside, outside, in a natural way, in an exotic way...she was attractive in so many different ways, and he'd been forced to play the role of the 'protective boyfriend' his fair share of times whenever a guy felt the need to hit on her. Needless to say, neither the girls nor the guys had bothered the two of them again.

Still smiling, Jake raised a hand to Leah's face, gently running the pad of his thumb over her lips. "You know I only have eyes for you." Her smile became even brighter, if that was possible. She leaned in to kiss him again, but they were interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and a voice they knew all-too well.

"Woah, my eyes! You guys really should lock the door, y'know." Embry stood near the open door, hands over his eyes and a teasing grin on his face. Behind him Seth trailed into the room, rubbing his forehead with the tips of his fingers and squinting.

"'S a bit bright in here, isn't it?" he mumbled under his breath. Jacob rolled his eyes, while Leah only shook her head and looked at Embry over her shoulder as the two of them let go of one another.

"You can look now, Em. And maybe _you _guys should learn to knock." Embry removed his hands and smiled sheepishly at her, shrugging; she noticed that he seemed a lot more upbeat than usual.

"Old habits die hard, I'm afraid." Leah was about to grin, but then she noticed her brother's strange behaviour. Seth still stood trying to shield his eyes from the sunlight that streamed in through the open curtains. Her eyes narrowed, and Jacob instantly knew that Seth had been busted.

"Seth, are you_ hungover_?" she asked, saying the last word a little louder than nessecary. Seth winced, then tried – and failed – to cover it up.

"No," he lied. "But damn, Lee, there's no need to shout."

"I _wasn't _shouting."

Leah was frowning now, hands on her hips, and that was _never _a good sign. Sensing that all Hell was about to break loose, Jake quickly turned to Embry, searching for a way to change the subject as fast as possible. "Em, where's Quil?" he asked, realising that the fifth member of their group wasn't there. Embry shrugged again, but this time he looked just as puzzled as Jake.

"We were hoping _you _could tell _us_."

XXXXXXXXXX

When Quil realised that he was lying in a strange bed, and that the hotel room he was in was most definitely not his own, it took him a few moments to convince himself that there was no need to have a major freak out. He sat up, staring around the unfamiliar room in confused horror, before dropping his head into his hands. Quil squeezed his eyes shut, thinking hard; there was no throbbing headache, but he couldn't remember much from the night before. The start of his night was a bit fuzzy – he remembered music, a casino, and a waiter with a tray of champagne glasses – but after that things got progressively blurrier, until eventually he couldn't remember anything at all.

With a sigh he encouraged himself to think harder. If he could just remember the basics, he might be able to figure out how he got here. Quil could recall, faintly, gambling with Seth. After that...after that...suddenly, he saw pretty green eyes and shiny blonde hair, and he was abruptly unsure that he wasn't having some kind of heart attack. The girl. Oh, God, _Charlotte_...

"I see you're finally up." Quil didn't want to look up: he knew what he'd see, knew that voice, but there was nothing else for it. Slowly, he raised his head, and immediately met the gaze of a very familiar woman. Charlotte stood in the doorway, one arm folded over her chest while her other hand held a glass of what appeared to be water near her lips, as if she was about to take a sip. Her makeup was all gone, but she was still quite attractive without it. Her smile was soft. "There's no need to look so wary, Quil. I don't bite. Relax."

His instincts told him that it was okay, but still he remained tense, watching her cautiously as she moved further into the room and sat down at a little, circular glass table near the wall. For the first time Quil noticed just how lavish the room actually was – Lord, his, Seth's and Embry's room had only had an en suite bathroom, but it looked as if this hotel suite had numerous adjoining rooms, and he was willing to bet that they were all decorated and furnished as expensively as the bedroom he was in now. Charlotte – if that was her real name – was obviously not short of cash.

Even more confused, Quil's eyes flickered back to her as she spoke again. "I suppose I should apologize for last night," she continued, toying with the front of her black silk dressing robe and crossing one leg over the other. "And I'm sorry if this has caused you any...problems. Thank God you're of age – hooking up with jailbait was _not _part of the plan." For a second, Quil only looked at her in bewildered silence. Then, finally, realisation dawned on him. His jaw dropped a little, and another small smile appeared on Charlotte's face as she watched his expression turn to one of shock.

"So...so we...? I'm not a...?" he stammered, gesturing from himself to her warily, barely daring to believe that it was true.

"Uh huh." Quil's gaze wandered to where his hands rested in his lap, trying to process that new piece of information. He couldn't remember it, not right now, at least, but...Jesus. He'd just left the V-Club. Before he could stop himself he gave a small snort of laugher.

"Well, shit." Quil looked up and found that Charlotte was still smiling. There were a million things he wanted to ask her – including the typical 'How was I?' - but it suddenly occurred to him that she knew his age. He couldn't remember much anyway, but it didn't sound like she would have slept with him if she'd known how old he was beforehand. "Wait," he began, confused. "How do you know my age? What do you mean, it wasn't 'part of the plan'?"

Charlotte's smile faded, and she noticeably avoided his gaze. She gave a little sigh, twirling her glass between her fingers. "Your wallet fell out of your jeans' pocket when I picked them up this morning. I was curious." She took a deep breath, let it out, and with what looked like a lot of effort she forced herself to look at him. "Okay, Quil," she said, "I'll be honest. I was looking for a rich, preferably good-looking guy last night." Quil stared at her.

"That doesn't explain much," he commented. "_Why _were you looking for a rich dude? I mean, come on, look at this place. Sure doesn't seem like you've got any money problems."

The corner of her mouth turned upwards a fraction, but again Charlotte looked away. "I know it sounds ridiculous," she murmured. "Scheming, even. But it's not like I _want _to do this. Not this way. It's just, if I don't, I just can't see any other way I'll be able to escape."

"Escape what?" asked Quil, thoroughly lost. He glanced around for his clothes, and found them neatly folded in a pile on the floor next to the bed.

"My life, Quil," Charlotte answered, a faint undertone of bitterness in her voice. "I wasn't lying when I told you my name was Charlotte, or that I was from California. But I'm from a very, very wealthy family. My father owns this multi-national business, and my mother's never had to work a day in her life. We live in an extremely...respectable...neighbourhood. And I hate it."

She gave a small snort, gazing at the surface of the table. "The people are awful, arrogant, and opinionated. Sure, being wealthy sounds like a blast, but I'd give anything not to be. It sounds so ungrateful, and maybe I am, but I just want out. I'm so sick of being judged and picked at and made to be the girl they want me to be. I don't have any money of my own – it's my parents that control everything. It's like they're playing God with my life. I just couldn't think of any other way out of it." Her rant over, Charlotte took another steadying breath. To calm herself, Quil supposed.

Then, "I came here with some friends, under the pretence of 'needing a holiday'. My best friend, Melissa, was just looking for any hot guy to hook up with. The others came here for fun and to unwind. I came to Vegas to scope out a reasonably well-off man, hopefully from as far away from my family as possible, and get him drunk enough to agree to get hitched." Quil froze in the middle of pulling on his shorts. _Hitched_? They hadn't...they weren't...? "Calm down, Quil," Charlotte said when she saw him eying his ring finger nervously. "We're not married."

_Oh, thank Christ._ Quil gave a sigh of deep relief, running a hand through his hair. God, if he'd gotten married, his Dad would have _killed _him.

"As I was saying, that was the plan. It's not like I would be able to support myself – that's why I was looking for a wealthy guy. That way, I'd be financially stable, I wouldn't be alone forever and I'd finally be able to get away from my family and all the other people who pick on every little thing I do."

Charlotte fell silent, her long, curling blonde hair falling in her face just enough for Quil to not be able to see her expression. By now he was on his feet, and doing up his jeans. He definitely hadn't expected that explanation...it was hard to believe that she had such issues, when last night she'd seemed like a perfectly ordinary girl. He regarded the woman in front of him with a mixture of sympathy and understanding, and was surprised to find that he actually felt guilty. He knew it was silly to feel bad for not being the kind of man she had been looking for, but he still did, anyway. After all, he was only Quil Ateara. He couldn't give Charlotte the kind of escape she wanted. Quil sighed, and sat back down on the edge of the bed. Why did he always get himself into these situations? "I'm sorry," he murmured, and he hoped she knew that he meant it.

Instantly she looked up at him, incredulous surprise written on her face. "Sorry?" she repeated, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Quil, _I _should be the one apologizing. When I found out how old you were, it made me realise what a stupid idea this was. I mean, it's not as if there's a huge age difference – I'm barely old enough to reserve a room here – but you're still young, and I've dragged you into this. And for that, _I'm _sorry." Quil shook his head.

"No, don't be," he replied. "People do crazy things when they're desperate." Charlotte let out a breath that wasn't quite a sigh.

"And desperate I am," she mumbled. Then she looked up, pushing her hair back from her face and tucking it behind her ear, smiling at him again. "Would you believe, the reason I didn't even bring up getting married was because I thought you might actually be interested in me, anyway? I thought I might not have to get you drunk or even get hitched, that you might want to see more of me anyway, that I'd hit the jackpot. A young, hot, wealthy man with a great personality to boot. But no, this whole thing was the craziest idea I'd ever had. There are other ways to get out of the life I'm leading. I just haven't thought of them yet."

Quil attempted to smile, wishing the whole situation wasn't so complicated. "You're a beautiful girl, Charlotte, and pretty damn smart," he tried to reassure her. "You'll figure something out."

"Thank you." Charlotte's smile was more genuine now, and she seemed like she was on her way back to the confident woman she'd been last night. "I think it's about time I change my outlook on life," she added, almost as an afterthought. Then she stood up, chair making hardly any noise against the wooden floor. As she crossed the large room to the large chest of drawers Quil got back up and pulled his shirt over his head, looking around for his shoes and thinking about all the things Charlotte had just said.

_My best friend, Melissa, was just looking for any hot guy to hook up with._ For what felt like the millionth time, he went completely still, eyes widening. Oh, shit...He swallowed, trying to recover his voice. "Charlotte?" he managed to get out, turning to look at her where she stood on the other side of the room. She looked up when she heard her name, a pair of jeans and a shirt in her hand.

"Yeah?" Her eyes filled with concern when she saw the expression he wore on his face. "What is it?"

"Your friend, Melissa...was she with you? In the casino, where we met?" Looking confused, Charlotte nodded.

"Yes, she was. She had her eye on your friend, um...Seth, wasn't it?" Quil managed a feeble nod, feeling suddenly a little weak. Christ, he should never have left Seth alone. He hoped the kid had had more sense than him – Leah would do worse than murder him if Seth had gotten himself into something because Quil had left him on his own.

"I'm so dead," he said, more to himself than her. "What was I _thinking_?"

"Quil? I don't understand...Melissa wasn't looking for anything serious, just a one-night thing...Seth wouldn't be in any trouble, or anything." Quil took a deep breath, wandering how he was going to stop Leah from going psycho on his ass.

"His sister's going to kill me," he tried to explain, "Seth's only 16, and I was stupid enough to leave him on his own...Damn it, depending on whatever state you go by, Seth might be jailbait. And even if he didn't hook up with your friend, God knows what could've happened to him!"

Before he could go into complete panic mode, Charlotte appeared in front of him and put a hand on his chest. "Quil," she began firmly, "_breathe_." When he looked a little calmer she gave a small smile and continued. "Don't assume the worst. He's probably fine. Even if he's not, there's nothing you can do about it when you're standing here." Quil nodded slowly, taking a few deep breaths.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I should probably be getting back."

By the time Quil had located his shoes, checked that he had everything and tried to estimate how much money he'd spent from how empty his wallet was, Charlotte had changed into black skinny jeans and a simple black, fitted T-Shirt, and she obediently took his hand and led him through into the main room when he said he was ready. He'd attempted to prepare himself for awkwardness and an uncomfortable goodbye, but when it actually came down to it he found there was none. He stood in the door way to the corridor, hands in his pockets, and smiled when Charlotte stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek – even then, he had to lean down. "Thank you, Quil," she said. "And, again, I'm sorry."

"There's no need to be," he reminded her. "And...for what it's worth...I really was interested. In you, I mean." Charlotte's answering smile was coy and confident again, to Quil's relief, and she had the look in her deep green eyes that had attracted him to her in the first place.

"Me too," she replied. "And, for what it's worth, you were pretty damn good for a first-timer."

XXXXXXXXXX

With his enhanced hearing, Quil could hear raised voices before he'd even made it a few steps down the corridor. Well, mainly it was just one voice. Quil tried to ignore the feeling of dread creeping its way into his chest: Leah Clearwater was pissed at something, and that could only mean trouble for all of them. A couple feet further and he was able to distinguish a few words out of the shouting, and what he heard only made him more certain that he was probably about to die.

"_I specifically told you...could've gotten into serious trouble...could've given us away...lucky I'm not Mom...!_"

He reached the door to Jake and Leah's room, from which the voices were coming, and cautiously opened it so he could edge in. Leah stood in the centre of the room, with Jake behind her trying to calm her down. Seth was on the receiving end of her anger, rubbing his forehead and asking her to 'stop shouting so damn loud', while Embry stood nearest the door looking as if he didn't know whether to stay or run. Quil managed to slip into the room and close the door behind him, and for a moment he thought that his absence might go unnoticed. No such luck. Embry heard the soft click of the door and glanced over his shoulder, spotting his best friend and raising an eyebrow.

"Quil? Where've you been? I was about to go looking for you...but...well..." He gestured with his head to the argument going on in front of them. "We thought you'd disappeared to check out girls or something." Quil gave a little, slightly nervous laugh.

"Sure," he lied. "You know me..." Leah had turned down the volume a few notches, though she was still shouting, but he wasn't concerned about that. He was too busy noticing the looks of bare-faced surprise that suddenly appeared on both Jake and Embry's faces. They were staring at him like they'd never seen another human being before. "Uh...what?"

"I swear to God, Seth, if you _ever _do _anything _like this again..."

Then, Embry spoke. "_Damn_," he murmured, as a bright grin crept onto his face. "Who was she, man?" Jake was grinning now, too, and Quil could only stare back at them in shock and try to deny it.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about – " They couldn't know, there was no way in Hell...

"Don't try to deny it," said Jake. "It's written all over your face." Embry clapped him on the back, laughing.

"My...my face?" Quil repeated in disbelief, horrified that he'd been figured out so quickly.

"You're _so _lucky that I'm not gonna tell Mom about this, you hear me?"

"Your eyes are all lit up like you just won the lottery," Jacob explained with a chuckle.

"Well?" Embry pressed. "Who was she?"

"I thought you were waiting for Claire to grow up?"

Leah finally finished shouting at her little brother, and realised that Quil had reappeared and both Embry and Jake seemed all hyped-up about one thing or another. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice losing its sternness and her frown disappearing, replaced with curiosity and a faint smile.

"_Quil _left the V-Club," Embry announced proudly, while Jake laughed again. Quil managed a smile. Then a laugh escaped him, and he felt suddenly at ease. Leah gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes.

"I don't suppose the rules I set for this weekend were listened to by _anyone _except Embry?" she asked, and with a grin Jake wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Face it, honey, we _did _break the one about getting wasted."

XXXXXXXXXX

They spent their last few hours down at the pool, enjoying the sun and wishing they didn't have to leave. Embry had hoped that he might see the dark-haired girl again, before he remembered that she would be working. He contemplated stopping at the bar on their way to the airport, but he knew deep down that there just wouldn't be time. Besides, he hadn't mentioned her to the others yet, only said that he went to a bar and didn't break any rules. And if he saw her again, no way in Hell would they be able to get him to leave. He kept trying to guess what her name could be, but every name he thought of just didn't seem to fit.

Leah was soon smiling and relaxed again, though Seth was definitely still in the doghouse (no pun intended). At least, she was smiling until Seth asked if Quil's First Time had been with 'the girl you left with last night' and she realised that Quil had left her little brother alone in the casino with alcohol, a roulette wheel and some girl called 'Melissa'. Thankfully she calmed down a little when Jake managed to explain that he'd rescued Seth from all three and made sure he was safely back in his room, where he'd half-fallen asleep, half-passed out. Still, she made a point of giving both Quil and Seth disapproving looks every now and then.

Finally, it was time to leave for their flight. All wearing forlorn expressions, they retrieved their things and checked out, stowing their bags in the trunk of the car. The ride to the airport was quiet and uneventful – Leah was thinking about how much she was going to miss the constant sun and crazy nightlife; Jake was hoping that their flight wouldn't be delayed, because waiting around at airports was always such a pain in the ass; Seth was relieved that his headache seemed to finally be fading; Quil's mind was on Charlotte and trying to work past the blank parts in his memory, and Embry was wondering if Dark-Haired Girl had finished her shift at the bar yet. Would she be thinking of him? Would she forget about him?

When they reached the airport they found that the smartly-dressed man with the 'Clearwater' sign was outside again, and he greeted them all with a friendly smile as they got out of the car. "I hope you enjoyed yourselves in Vegas," he said to Leah while the others unloaded the trunk.

"Oh, trust me, we won't be forgetting it anytime soon," Leah replied, causing the man to chuckle. They handed the car over to him, waved as he drove away, and then they readied themselves to go through the entire airport process all over again.

By the time they'd worked their way through the check in, security and the shops, picking up a trucker cap that read '_Viva Las Vegas' _on the front for Emmett, Seth's hangover had completely disappeared and Leah had partially forgiven Quil, much to Seth's annoyance. "How come you let Quil off for hooking up with that girl, but you can't let _me _off?" he complained, though he was more annoyed about just not being forgiven than being 'in trouble'.

"Because Quil's old enough to make his own stupid mistakes," Leah answered simply. "And besides, that doesn't mean he's forgiven for leaving you on your own." Quil only grinned sheepishly and returned to staring out of the departure lounge window. Eventually a voice came over the speakers and announced their flight as boarding, and they all gathered their things and made to queue up with all the other passengers. "Well, I hope everyone enjoyed themselves," began Leah as they boarded the plane.

"Because we are _not _going again."

* * *

**Vegas is over! D: *heart breaks* Hope you enjoyed their trip as much as they did :P Anything in there that you weren't expecting? ;) Let me know in a review! 'Til next time! xx**


	37. Everything You'll Ever Be

**...Guess who's back...back again...*happy dance* Wow, I'm so sorry for taking so long to update! I've been lacking inspiration lately and school has been _crazy _- I was suddenly informed that I had 13 exams (yes, 13. Fabulous.) over the space of a couple months, and I've been practically living at school these last few weeks -_-;; No joke. AliceCullen1210 was at school for _four extra hours _like three days in a row! I kid you not. Anyways, I'm now on a week off so I'm writing like crazy to make up for the time I was away. I've also added more twists to the plot for this story, so while the general ending is still the same as I planned from the beginning, it's going to be a much bumpier ride ;D Next on the agenda for moi: catching 6(ish) hours sleep and getting up at the crack of dawn to finish the next chapter of Thinking Of You. Ahh, it's glad to be back :'] I gotta run!**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter again, and thanks for last chapter's reviews - damn, I hope that I haven't bored you all into leaving :S I really apologise!**

**Em xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. *facepalm*.**

* * *

"The magic and the misery,

Come and go so easily,

But everything you'll ever be,

You already are to me..."

John Mayer - Everything You'll Ever Be.

* * *

It was late when their flight landed, and the airport was chaos; it took them a further half an hour just to get their bags and make their way out into the parking lot, with Seth still pale and cursing the five seconds of turbulence they'd experienced on the flight. Leah didn't even try to hold in the sigh of relief that escaped her at the sight of Emmett standing and waiting patiently by her car. "Alright, Em?" Jacob called, surprisingly cheerful.

"Sure," Emmett replied, throwing him the car keys with a grin. "Have a good trip?"

"It was _awesome_." Emmett chuckled, opening the trunk of the car so that they could dump their bags inside, and Leah glanced up at the night sky above them – overcast, with the possibility of rain. Oh, they were definitely home.

"Me and Rose were saying today how much we'd like to go again," Emmett continued, pushing his hands into his pockets. "But it's so sunny, we can only ever go for few hours in the middle of the night, and then we have to get private transport in case we misjudge the times. Y'know, the whole sparkling thing...Carlisle and Esme haven't been since '53. Last time me and Rose went was...what, the summer of '94? Hey, Seth, you had to have been born around then, right?"

Seth was too distracted to answer, or to really realise that they were back. He was too preoccupied with trying to convince himself that he was still alive. Emmett took one look at his disturbed expression, at Quil who was subdued and thoughtful-looking, and at Embry's broad smile and sudden newfound confidence, and raised an eyebrow. "Damn, what _happened _out there? Quil and Embry have traded souls and Seth looks like he's seen a ghost," he muttered to Leah and Jacob curiously. "Do we need to call Carlisle or something? Is it _catching_?"

While Jake chuckled and Embry grinned, climbing into the backseat, Leah only rolled her eyes. "Nobody knows what happened to Embry. Quil...well...we're not _totally _sure what's up with him. And Seth's just freaked because there was like...a tiny bit of turbulence on the plane. It was nothing. Just Karma. Back and as bitchy as ever..." She had to hold in another sigh at the confused look on Emmett's face, before launching into a brief explanation of Seth's little 'adventure' the night before. By the end of it Emmett was grinning and she half-expected him to clap Seth on the back in pride.

Seth himself was getting in the car, looking less shaken and more like his normal, smiley self. "Shoulda known he'd get up to something," Emmett was saying, with a shake of his head and a smile. "He's a Clearwater, after all. Was there anything that you _did _lose?" Leah shrugged, opening the door of the passenger seat.

"Just a couple hundred bucks and Quil's virginity."

There was a muffled, "Hey!" from Quil where he sat in between Seth and Embry in the backseat, but she barely heard it over the sound of Emmett's guffawing laughter.

XXXXXXXXXX

The long drive home had been quiet, and uneventful. Jacob had offered to drive during the flight, seeing how tired Leah was beginning to look, and was glad he did: Quil, Embry and Seth didn't take long to fall asleep, leaving him to have a short conversation with Leah before she, too, couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Jake had smiled to himself – _'werewolves sleep less', my ass_ – and spent the remainder of the journey wondering what he would do when he was back home. He couldn't even really remember how he'd spent his days before Vegas, or even before he'd made the promise to help Leah heal in return for some much-needed therapy himself.

Sleep was the first thing on his list. Then food; it had been a _long _trip back. And then...then he'd do something with Leah. Take her out to dinner, maybe. Or rent out her favourite movie and order in...Leah always insisted that they didn't have to do anything special, and he understood what she meant. It was enough for him to just be able to spend time with her. Not even the most expensive weekend away or the fanciest dinner date could top a night in sprawled out on the couch with her in his arms. It had just always been that way, and, he hoped with everything he had, it always would be.

The slow, snail's-pace life on the Reservation was beginning to sound more and more appealing by the second – the bright lights and streets of Las Vegas were never dark, never empty, but if their trip had taught him one thing, it was that that kind of life wasn't for him. Sure, it was nice enough for a vacation, but he didn't think he would like living in that environment permanently. He wasn't the kind of man that would enjoy the busyness and the brightness, not when he could have a long, quiet life on the Reservation, with Leah. Unlike Quil and Embry and Seth, who seemed to flourish in that type of situation and who would probably love life in the city, away from the Rez. God only knew what they'd get up to.

The thought made him laugh, just once, and not bitterly.

They were all roughly around the same age – Seth was normally quite mature, even though he was two years younger than them – but their plans for life were very different. He was only eighteen, but he knew what he wanted from life. He wanted Leah. Forever, if she would have him. Quil, Embry and Seth, on the other hand, were still working out what it was that _they _wanted. Jake only hoped that, whenever they found out what that was, it didn't take them too far away from one another. But they all had their different lives to lead, and his involved Leah and La Push.

Maybe he could get a job. He was out of school, not interested in College and was known for his skills as a mechanic. There had to be some garage that would take him on. Then he could start saving for the future. His and Leah's future.

Months and weeks and age didn't matter to Jacob. He'd known Leah his whole life, and in many ways, it felt like they had always been together.

XXXXXXXXXX

They finally passed the 'Welcome to La Push' sign in the early hours of the morning, and Jake didn't think he'd ever be more glad to read those words; Leah was still practically out cold and Quil, Embry and Seth had woken up, but now Jacob could feel sleep really beginning to creep up on him. And he didn't doubt that Leah would be pissed if he crashed her car. Finally Quil's place came into sight, and he pulled the car up outside the house to let Quil and Embry – who was crashing there for the rest of the night – get out and grab their bags from the trunk. "We'll see you guys later," Embry said with a grin, keeping his voice low to make sure he didn't accidentally wake any of the neighbours up. He was still surprisingly upbeat, and nobody was sure if they should be concerned or pleased about that fact.

There was a quiet thud as Quil shut the trunk and reappeared, shouldering his duffel bag and smiled. "It was an awesome trip. If you see the Cullens first, tell them we say thanks."

"We'll probably go over tomorrow at some point, so we'll pass it on. See you later, guys."

"See ya, man."

"Bye, Jake, Leah." Embry and Quil turned and began walking up the path to the front door, looking like they were trying to be quiet, but Jacob knew it would be no use; one of them would trip over or break something, even with their enhanced senses. They'd wake Old Quil up somehow.

Not wanting to stick around to watch the chaos unfold – and reaching the point where he would gladly lie down on the _sidewalk _and sleep – Jacob pulled away from the little house, resisting the urge to rub his eyes and yawn. "How long was I out?" Leah asked in a murmur, stretching. She felt a bit more rested, but her neck and her shoulders were stiff, so she knew she had to have been out for at least a couple hours. Still, Leah was pretty sure that she'd be out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

"A while," Jake replied, navigating the car through the deserted streets of La Push with a tired smile turning up the corner of his mouth. A glance at the dashboard told him that it was way past one o'clock in the morning; somehow he didn't think Seth would be going to school, even if Sue was on the warpath about him keeping up his grades. "You were exhausted – I couldn't bring myself to wake you up."

A hint of a grin crossed Leah's face for a second, but was quickly replaced by her hand as she yawned. "Besides, I kinda like having all my limbs," Jacob added as an afterthought. Leah was tempted to take a playful swipe at him, until she remembered he was driving _her _car.

"Smartass." Jake gave a low chuckle, throwing a grin her way.

"You love me, really." With a roll of her eyes, Leah stifled another yawn and folded her arms over her chest.

"Shame..."

"Ouch," Jake replied, grinning more broadly now. "I guess I'll just drop you off and go home myself, then. I know when I'm not wanted..."

"Okay, now, let's not let this get out of hand – I didn't exactly say that I didn't want you to stay..."

Laughing quietly at her half-joking, half-serious response and the anxious look in her eyes – the one that didn't match her cocky grin _at all _– he took one hand off the steering wheel and place it on her knee, teasingly beginning to move it up her thigh. "So you _do _want me to stay?" A smirk immediately began to appear on Leah's lips, the temperature of his skin making his hand feel hot against her leg, even through her jeans.

"Well, I do believe," she began slowly, watching his hand climb steadily higher out of the corner of her eye, "that you owe me the equivalent of one unforgettable, _sober _night in Las Vegas. With full HD. And possible instant replay."

Jake was wearing a small, innocent smile, but there was a look in his eyes that she recognised all too well. "You know what? I think I do." He cast a furtive glance over his shoulder, thanking whatever it was out there that Seth had pretty much instantly gone back to sleep. He didn't want to think about what the youngest Clearwater would try and do to him if he was forced to overhear this conversation. Finding the kid still snoring softly, Jacob killed the engine as they finally swung into the driveway of the Clearwater house. _Note to self: empty driveway equals Sue at Charlie's, minus Seth in the morning, equals empty house, plus me and Leah, equals...interesting. P.S: Hope Sue stays at Charlie's all day. P.P.S: Don't think about Old People Sex. Ever._

In the sudden quiet that engulfed the car without the noise of the engine, Jacob undid his seatbelt and leaned over, so that he could press his lips to the hollow beneath Leah's ear. "But you need to get some sleep. We both do." His hand moved and met hers in her lap, entwining their fingers – she was shifting slightly in an attempt to make a try for his lips, and he was only too happy to let her. His heart kicked up a notch or three instantly: it had been a few hours since he'd felt her lips against his own and savoured how soft they were, tried to name that indescribable taste. A few hours too long.

The fingers of her free hand were tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, but as much as he hated to do it, Jake forced himself to loosen his grip on her waist and pull away. "I really don't want Seth to try and castrate me," he murmured in apology, with another glance to the backseat of the car. "It's _still _kinda weird seeing Paul and Rachel together." Leah gave a little sigh, wishing that she didn't understand where he was coming from. Seeing the disappointed look on her face, Jacob tried and failed to hide another smile. Instead he touched his lips to her ear just long enough to promise her a _very _unforgettable Vegas night – with HD, _definite _instant replay and probable surround-sound – _after _they'd gotten from sleep, before giving her hand one final, gentle squeeze.

Leah muttered something about "damned sleep" and "why couldn't we have just left Seth at the airport?", but gave in and reluctantly undid her seatbelt.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Leah woke – far too early, in her opinion – it wasn't because of the shaft of bright sunlight that was hitting her eyes through the gap in the curtain. Instead it was the insistent vibrating coming from her jeans pocket that caused her to stir and make a half-hearted, failed grab for her cell phone, before deciding that she couldn't bring herself to care and closing her eyes again. "Aren't you going to get that?" asked Jacob in a half-awake murmur, woken by her movement. He tightened his arm around her waist a fraction, his nose brushing the soft skin at the back of her neck, eyes still closed.

"'S just a message," she mumbled, trying to ignore the vibrating and the buzzing noise and go back to sleep. "Sleep's more interesting."

Tempted to roll his eyes, Jake removed his arm from her waist and slipped his hand into her pocket to retrieve her cell. "It's from Embry," she heard him mumble after a moment, once the noise had stopped. "Says we're all wanted over at Sam and Emily's."

"You're kidding?" Leah breathed, shielding her eyes with her hand and half-turning to look over her shoulder at him. "Did he say why?"

"Nope," Jake replied with a sigh, glancing at the clock on the bedside table to find that it was actually past midday.

"Ask him what time we're wanted?"

Hoping that that wouldn't be until late afternoon at least, Jacob rolled onto his back and started to type a reply. Leah held in her own sigh and shifted onto her other side so she could peer at what he was typing. She knew it had to be something that couldn't wait for Sam and Emily to ask the Pack over, knowing that half of them would have only gotten back from the airport in the early hours of the morning. Thankfully Embry was quick in replying. After pressing the 'Send' button, Jake barely had time to put his arm around Leah so that she could rest her head on his chest, and comment on the bad timing, before her cell started vibrating again.

Leah let out a quiet groan of annoyance at Embry's reply, and turned, hiding her face in Jake's shirt. _An hour? _"Let's not go," she suggested, her voice muffled. "Let's tell them we're _very _'busy' and not to be disturbed until at least tomorrow..."

"It's gotta be something important," Jacob muttered, voicing Leah's unspoken assumption. Neither of them particularly wanted to move, but deep down they knew that they didn't really have any other choice.

"...Our flight got delayed," Leah continued stubbornly, almost as if she was talking to herself. "We're still in Vegas. Embry gave his cell phone to a random homeless guy and he and Quil are missing. Seth's hungover and still asleep. We're really sorry that we can't make it. There. One fool-proof cover story."

Jake gave a low chuckle and Leah looked up at him, defeat on her face. "Genius," he said, "but we've gotta go. Even though I would much rather stay in bed with you all day." Leah was about to remind him of his promise when they heard the front door open and close, and footsteps sounded on the stairs. Moments later a tired and confused-looking Seth shambled into view, rubbing the back of his neck and wincing – his joints were all stiff. Apparently the whole 'healing super fast' thing didn't cover the effects of sleeping for almost 12 hours straight in the slightly cramped backseat of a car.

He didn't seem to register the fact that his Alpha and his sister were in – or rather on – bed together even though they were both still fully-clothed, instead continuing to look puzzled. Leah tried to hide a smile; Seth was easy enough to wake, and last night would've been no exception. Still, maybe next time he'd think before getting wasted and gambling after promising to behave.

"Guys...why did I just wake up _in the_ _car_?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Leah wasn't exactly sure why everyone else was there. She'd assumed that it would be some kind of informal Pack meeting, but obviously not – Kim, Claire, Claire's parents and Embry's Mom were also there, as well as Sue, Charlie and Old Quil. After being greeted enthusiastically at the door by Emily and ushered through the house and out into the back yard, neither she nor Jacob had any idea what was going on. Still, Emily was darting around and chatting, so they simply took a seat in two vacant white garden chairs: the porch was occupied by the older guests, while the Pack members and their Imprints were either sprawled on the grass or sitting in an array of chairs by the porch steps.

"What's going on?" Leah asked Paul, who was sitting with her and Jacob, in a murmur. "I thought this was going to be a Pack meeting or something?"

"So did I," Paul replied quietly, and Jake agreed as he found Leah's hand and laced their fingers together. "Sam called and I thought that he wanted to discuss Pack business. But there are family members here, too," he added, looking around at the other guests.

"It better be important," Leah muttered, giving Jacob's hand a quick squeeze back. "Embry's text woke us up and everything." A smile tugged at the corner of Paul's mouth, and he was watching the door for Rachel when he remembered that Leah and the guys wouldn't have gotten home until unnaturally early.

"Damn, I forgot," he began, shaking his head at his own distractedness – on top of being curious about why everyone had been asked over, he hadn't seen Rachel as much these last few days, and he was missing her. "How was the trip? Any good?" Before they could help themselves, Leah and Jacob exchanged knowing glances. Well, where the heck to start?

"It was...interesting," Jake answered first, a grinning forming on his face. "Memorable." Snorting, his smile growing a fraction, Paul took a sip of the beer he held loosely in his hand.

"I'm guessing that meant some strange shit happened, then?"

"Very strange shit."

"Well...at least that explains why Embry and Quil are acting so weird. What happened to those two?" Following Paul's gaze, Jacob and Leah looked over to where Embry, Quil and Seth were sitting a few feet away on the grass. Even from here they could overhear the conversation their fellow Pack members were having – which seemed to be revolving around Megan Fox _again_ – and see that Embry was actually talking, while Quil wasn't saying much at all, instead appeared to be deep in thought. A sudden tendril of anxiety started to creep its way into Leah's heart at the sight of Quil so unlike himself. When she and Jacob had dropped Quil off he'd seemed like he was back to his old self again, after a day of distractedness, but obviously that he hadn't stayed that way. She really only knew very little about the girl he slept with...Charlotte, or whatever her name was...Leah honestly hadn't wanted to know, but now she was curious. Curious and worried. Quil wasn't Quil without his playful attitude and his teasing.

Sensing her anxiety, Jacob traced slow circles on the back of her hand with his thumb, tightening his grip just enough to add a bit more comfort. His change in touch caught her attention, making Leah look back at him with her worry plain on her face. The smile he wore was just a tad more sober and his eyes were soft; he was starting to worry about Quil, too. But he'd be alright. He was a survivor.

Paul, meanwhile, was watching their exchange starting to think that he should be concerned. "It wasn't anything bad, right?" he asked, still keeping his voice as quiet as possible. "I mean...they didn't do something stupid, did they?"

"None of us know what Embry got up to," Jacob explained. "Leah laid down some ground rules – y'know, like no gambling, no hooking up with girls, and no drinking yourself to oblivion – and he said he didn't break any...but God knows where he was or what he was doing."

"And Quil, he got drunk and woke up in some random girls bed the next morning." Paul near enough choked on his swig of beer.

"_Seriously_?"

"I kid you not." Paul was trying to resist the urge to laugh – he was pretty sure that if Leah and Jacob didn't look so sombre, he would be clapping Quil proudly on the back right now. Obviously Quil finally losing his virginity was _not _such a momentous occasion.

"And that's made him miserable because...?" he asked, feeling like he was missing something. "I mean, when it was me, the guys were psyched...apart from Jake, obviously..." Jacob rolled his eyes, but his smile brightened a little. Leah looked to Jake, unable to answer. She didn't know the details, but he almost definitely did.

"Apparently she was this rich girl from California. She thought if she got some tycoon drunk enough to get hitched then she'd be able to escape from that kind of life and all the superficial people. She thought that guy was Quil. Luckily they didn't go anywhere near a marriage ceremony, but when she realised that Quil was only 18 it hit her how stupid her idea was. I think it just shook him up, y'know? He actually feels guilty that he couldn't give her the escape she needed."

That _did_ explain a lot; Paul turned that over in his mind for a few moments. _Trust Quil to accidentally hook up with a girl that has issues. _

Still, he genuinely did hope that Quil would recover. He wasn't used to seeing Quil so miserable, and it was actually kind of starting to creep him out. Jacob was about to elaborate on Quil's troubles, but his attention was caught by the bright grin that suddenly appeared on Paul's face. Looking towards the doorway, he wasn't surprised to see Rachel heading down the porch steps towards them, followed by his Dad, whose chair was being pushed by –

Wait. What?

_No way..._

"Damn, kid, are you trying to catch flies or what?" Rebecca Black rolled her eyes, making sure that her father was okay before hopping gracefully down the steps and crossing the few feet of space between them.

"Becca, what – I thought you weren't going to be back for _years _– "

"It's nice to see you too, little bro. Well...not really little...you know what I mean. Don't I at least get a hug?" Grinning broadly, Jacob stood up and embraced his sister, definitely surprised but not at all unhappy; Rebecca's visits were always few and far between, and even for Sam and Emily's wedding she was only in La Push for a couple days. Not even that. He hadn't expected to see her again until the next wedding, and who knew when that would be?

It was moments before Leah demanded a turn and hugged her old friend tightly, wondering what on Earth had brought her back. "Is it just you, Becca?" she asked, curious but smiling brightly. "Or is Sol here too?" Rebecca snorted, pulling back to look at Leah with a smile on her face.

"You know Solomon, I can't get him to leave Hawaii for as much as a couple days. I'll do it one day, though, mark my words!"

"So, how come you decided to fly over?" Jacob winked teasingly, and added, "Let me guess, you just missed me so much that you couldn't bear to go another day without seeing my handsome face – "

"Actually, I _did _miss you," Rebecca replied, "I missed all of you, and I know I don't visit anywhere near as often as I should. So I thought, hey, why don't I surprise everyone? Only I get here and find that half of you are off doing God knows what in Las Vegas and aren't even in the State – "

Rebecca was cut off as Sam started trying to get everyone's attention. He and Emily stood together on the porch, both wearing warm smiles, and all of the gathered Pack members and relatives immediately quietened down, watching them expectantly. "So, we just wanna thank you all for coming at such short notice. Especially the people who are probably wishing they were still in bed." Sam threw Jacob, a knowing grin, but he didn't even seem to care about Jake and Leah's reluctance to come. "We thought that we should all be together for this." Leah glanced up at Jacob to try and gauge his reaction to Sam and Emily's strange mood, but he seemed to be just as confused as she was; he slipped an arm around her waist a split second before Sam did the same to Emily. "We have some pretty big news."

Leah was the only one who really noticed the way Emily's hands were hovering near her stomach, and the way her face lit up as Sam looked down at her as a sign for her to be the one to tell everyone.

"We're having a baby!" she announced, unable to keep it in any longer, and immediately there were cheers and some applause, and the yard was filled with the kind of happiness that can only be shared by a close, dysfunctional family.

Through the noise and the chaos, the thing Leah noticed most clearly was the way Jacob's arm tightened around her.

XXXXXXXXXX

She'd never seen her cousin so happy. That smile she wore, that glow about her – Emily was truly on top of the world.

Leah was genuinely happy for her. After all, she got to become an Aunt of some sorts, and the thought was actually pretty exciting. It was a huge occasion, and it meant that a lot of things were going to change, and it would be a lie to say that Leah didn't share in everyone else's joy. She'd grinned and laughed and hugged Emily numerous times and congratulated the parents-to-be, and she'd even offered her support and help, should it ever be needed. Jacob stayed by her the whole time, keeping a watchful eye, ready to whisk her away at a moment's notice, and for that she was grateful.

But it wasn't until she'd become involved in a discussion about what colours the baby's room would be decorated with her mother, Emily and the twins, that it had really hit her that this was as close as she would ever get to experiencing parenthood. She didn't have the option of becoming a mother herself. Instead, the most she would ever learn would be from watching her friends go through it, while she was unable to. She wasn't mad at Emily, not at all – she was pleased that her cousin would get to become a Mom, finally. She wasn't even mad at Fate: how could she be, when the same thing that had made her infertile had also given her her soulmate?

It just hurt to be reminded so unexpectedly of what she would never have. Of how she would never have to shop for pretty maternity shirts or tiny little baby booties – at least, not for her own child. She and Jacob would never stay up late choosing paint colours and what kind of furniture to have in the baby's room.

Leah had stayed for an hour longer, but once the truth began to set in, she knew that she had to make her excuses and leave. She had a lot to think over and a lot to come to terms with, and she couldn't do that in the middle of a party. Jacob had let her go; he knew that expression on her face, and he knew that she needed some time alone. In a way, he was proud of her for leaving before there was any chance that she would accidentally do something. It was moments like this that reminded him of how far they'd both come over the last six months.

Emily, worried, had approached him after Leah had politely excused herself. "Is she okay?" she'd asked, wringing her hands with concern in her eyes, looking towards the back door through with Leah had disappeared. "It's just...we thought it would be _less _upsetting if we actually told her with everyone else, instead of keeping it from her until later..."

"She'll be fine, Em," Jake had tried to reassure her, finding that he really did believe it. "Leah's happy for you, she really is. She just needs time to think. She'll be alright."

He found her at their special spot on the cliff, later that afternoon.

Leah stood with her arms wrapped around herself, her back to him – he couldn't see her face, but Jacob could sense her calmness, and didn't feel like there was anything to worry about. Leah hurting made him hurt, but she was strong. She wouldn't let this knock her back.

She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to hear him approach, and it was only when she caught his scent that she realised he was there, a split second before his arms slipped around her waist in comfort. A ghost of a smile flickered across her face for a moment, but she kept her attention on the way orange and pink and blue were blurring together in the sky above them. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. Jacob pressed his lips to the back of her neck and rested his chin on her shoulder, trying to tell her without words that he was here for her. That he would always be here. Maybe Leah didn't know it, but there wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for her. Had she not been healed, had Emily's announcement been too much...had Leah wanted to leave La Push and never come back, he would have packed his things. He would have gone with her.

In a heartbeat.

After a relaxed, calm while of silence, Jacob felt Leah move a fraction in his arms as she gave a little sigh, before covering his hands with her own and leaning back into him. "Does she think that I'm mad at her?" she asked softly, watching the slowly darkening horizon and listening to the steady beating of his heart by her ear. Quiet, reassuring. Matching hers beat for beat.

"No," he answered, honestly, in a murmur. "I told her that you just needed time to think." Leah was tracing incomprehensible patterns on the back of his hand, almost absent-mindedly slipping her fingers through his and raising their joined hands to her lips.

"I really am happy for them," she mumbled, sweeping his knuckles with a kiss. "I just...had a lot to come to terms with."

Leah hesitated for a second, but he remained silent. He wouldn't say a word until she was finished. "Emily's going to make a great Mom," Leah continued her explanation quietly. "It just make me realise, again, that I don't get that chance. We were talking about what colour they were thinking of painting the baby's room, and what kind of furniture they wanted to get, and it just hit me. I won't get a chance to plan things like that for my own child. And I can't even be angry at Fate or at the wolf gene, because even if it made me infertile, it also brought me you. And I feel like, in not being able to...I'm...I'm letting you down."

She sighed, and tilted her face up towards him to see what his reaction to that would be. His chin was no longer on her shoulder and instead he was gazing out across the ocean, but the look in his eyes told her that he was thinking. He was searching for the right thing to say, for an answer to the situation that would take away her pain. He'd give anything to know what he could do, what it would take, to make it better. Eventually, Jacob's expression softened and he lowered his head to kiss the back of her neck again. Only this time he kept going, leaving a burning trail that ended at the lobe of her ear. "I love you," he whispered as he went, making her breath catch. "I love you, and nothing will ever change that."

Leah couldn't even speak because of the lump building in her throat. "We still have the rest of our lives ahead of us," he continued, mumbling the words against her temple. "Everything will keep changing. There's no way of knowing what's going to happen or where we'll end up. But I still love you, regardless. You're beautiful. You're loyal. You're kind, funny, and strong. I can see you getting your happy ending. I can see you as an Aunt, as a fiancée, as a wife...as a mother. There are other options, other ways to become a parent. We could always adopt. We've got all the time in the world, and some things we'll only understand or know in the future. But everything you'll ever be...you already are to me."

And then Jacob couldn't say anymore, because of the lips that suddenly found his.

* * *

**Phew. The majority of that took me 11.5 hours! :L Not straight, because I was working on the first section for a while - it was slow going - but the rest was spread over yesterday afternoon/night and this afternoon. Anyways, sorry if I've missed any mistakes (which I probably have as I'm so tired); it's _way _too early to be bothering my Beta, but I'll come back to it and fix any mistakes when I can! Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you thought - next chapter is where the real shit starts to go down ;D 'Til next time! xx**


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